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THE
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
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lOSPEL OF RAMAKFdSil^'A
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THE
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
AUTBOSIZED EDITION
PUBLISHED BY .
THE VEDANTA SOCIETY
135 West 8oth Stbbet
NEW YORK
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I .iaRVARD \
university!
i iibrary
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Niranjanant Nityam anantarupam,
Bhaktdtiukampd dkritavigrahatn vai;
IshdvatdTath Paramesham Idyatn,
Tarn Rdmakrishnam Shirashd Nam&mak._
Salutations to Bhagav^n Sri R^makrishna,
the perfect Embodiment of the Eternal Truth
which manifests Itself in various forms to help
mankind, and the Incarnation of the Supreme
Lord who is worshipped by all,
Hari Om Tat Sat.
,, Google
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PREFACE
This is the authorized English edition of
the "Gospel of RAmakrishna. " For the first
time in the history of the world's Great Saviours,
the exact words of the Master were recorded
verbatim by one of His devoted disciples.
These words were originally spoken in the
Bengali language of India. They were taken
down in the form of diary notes by a house-
holder disciple, "M." At the request of Stt
RAmakrishna 's Sanny^sin disciples, however,
these notes were published at Calcutta during
1902-1903 A.D,, in Bengali, in two volumes,
entitled " R&makrishna Kath&mrila."
At that time "M" wrote to me letters au-
thorizing me to edit and publish the English
translation of his notes, and sent me the
manuscript in English which he himself trans-
lated, together with a true copy of a personal
...Google
letter * which Swami Vivek&nanda wrote to
him.
At the request of "M" I have edited and
remodelled the larger portion of his English
manuscript: while the remaining portions I
•Sw4mi Vivek&aanda's letter to "M."
{True Copy.)
Dehra Doon,
a4lh Nov., 1897,
My dear Master Mahasaya;
Many thanks for your second leaSet It is indeed wonder-
fuL The move is quite original, and never the life of a great
teacher was brought before the public unlamished by the
writer's mind as you are doing. The language also is beyood
all praise. So fresh, so pointed, and withal so plain and easy.
1 cannot express in adequate terms how I have enjoyed
them. I am really in a transport when I read them. Strange,
isn't it? Our teacher and lord was so original and each
one of us will have to be original or nothing. I now under-
stand why none of us attempted his life before. It has been
reserved for you, this great work. He is with you evidently.
With all love and namaskar.
(Sd.) ViveeXmanda.
P.S.— Socratic diak>gues are Plato all over. You are
entirely hidden. Moreover, the dramatic part is infinitely
beautiful. Everybody likes it— here or in the West.
(Sd.) V.
This letter of Swami Viveklnanda shows that the words of
the Master were accurately recorded by "M."
,„,,.»-. ...Google
PREFACE
have translated directly from the Bengali
edition of his notes. The marginal headings,
foot-notes, and index, as well as the division
of the Gospel into fourteen chapters, were
added by me. I have endeavored to make
every word of this edition as literal, simple,
and colloquial as possible.
Some repetitions are purposely kept to show
how the Master used the same illustrations on
different occasions during the course of His
eloquent conversations.
The completed work is now offered to the
Western World with the sincere hope that the
sublime teachings of Sri Ramakrishna may
open the spiritual sight of seekers after Truth,
and bring peace and freedom to all souls strug-
gling for realization.
SwAMi AbhedAnanda.
New York,
December 15, 1907.
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CONTENTS
Introduction i
I. Sri R^makrishna at the Temple of
Dakshineswara ai
II. Sri Ramakrishna with His Disciples
at the Temple 36
III. The Bhagavan with Certain of His
Householder Disciples 69
IV. Visit to the Pandit Vidy^sagara 99
V. Day on the River with Keshab Chun-
der Sen 142
VI. Sunday at the Temple , 179
VII. Some Incidents in the Life of.Srt
Ramakrishna (as told by Himself) 207
VIII. Feast at the Garden-house of Suren-
dra 225
IX. Visit to a Hindu Pandit and Preacher 261
X. Gathering of Disciples at the Temple . 289
XI. Sri Ramakrishna at the Sinti Brahmo-
SamSj 319
XII. At the House of Balaram, a Disciple. 347
XIII. A Day at Shampukur 379
XIV. Cossipur Garden-house 411
...Google
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INTRODUCTION
The Lord declares : —
"Whenever true religion declines and irre-
ligion prevails, I manifest myself and in every
age I incarnate to establish spiritual law and
to destroy evil." — Bkagavad Gitd.
India has produced many great spiritual
leaders who are recognized and worshipped as
Saviours of mankind. The life and
character of each of these were as
wonderful, superhuman, and divine as were those
of the illustrious Son of Man. Each has been
like the embodiment of all Divine attributes;
each has, been the giver of new life to the old
spiritual truths, and the generator of that tidal
wave of s|)irituaiity which has again and again
inundated the religious world, surmounting the
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
barriers of superstition, and prejudice and cany-
ing the stream of individual souls toward the
ocean of Divinity.
The present upheaval of the spiritual tide,
the waves of which, traversing nearly half the
world, have touched the shores of America, was
produced by the Christlike character and Divine
personality of BhagavSn Sri R^makrishna —
revered and worshipped in India to-day as an
ideal manifestation of the Divine glory. His
life was so extraordinary and unparalleled that
within ten years after His departure from earth
it aroused the admiration, wonder and rever-
ence not only of all classes of people in His own
country, but of many distinguished English
and German scholars of the nineteenth cen-
tury.
A short account of the life of BhagavS,n Srt
RSmakrishna appeared for the first time in the
January number of the " Imperial and
Rimahriaiiu Quarterly Review" of 1896 under the
byEiuopun title of " A Modem Hindu Saint." It
was an able article penned by Prof.
C. H.Tawney, who was for many years the pro-
fessor of Sanskrit in Calcutta University and the
distinguished Librarian of India Hovrse in Lon-
don. This article excited the interest of many
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
EiiTopean scholars, among whom Professor Max.
Muller showed his appreciation by publishing in
the August number of the "Nineteenth Cen-
tury" of 1896 a short sketch of this Hindu
Saint's life entitled "A Real Mahatman." In
this celebrated article, which was for some time
the subject of most severe criticism both in
England and India among many of the Christian
missionaries and the Theosophists, the noted
Professor showed the difference between the
imaginary Mah&tmas of the Theosophists and
the Real Mah&tman or the Great Soul of India
who had reached God -consciousness and had
manifested Divinity in all the actions of His
daily life. He gave a brief account of the ex-
traordinary life of Bhagav&n Sri Rlmakrishna,
paying Him the highest tribute of honor and
respect that a Christian scholar could give to a
Divine manifestation in the so-called heathen
land. Later, in 1898, he compiled and pub- 1
lished " Ramakrishna, His Life and Sayings,"
collecting more facts of His life and the say-
ings of this exemplary character perfumed with
Divine personality.
Professor Max Muller was deeply impressed
by the originality of this great Saint and real
Mahatman, who was not brought up within the
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
precincts of any university and who drew the
water of. His wisdom neither from any book
Rimakritbiu "°^ Scripture nor from any ancient
■ nai M>- prophet but directly from the eternal
*""'■ Pountainhead of all Knowledge and
Wisdom. He was also struck by the broad,
liberal and absolutely unsectarian spirit which
pervades the utterings of Bhagavin Sri Rima-
krishna. Indeed the life and sayings of the
Bhagav^ have given a death-blow to the sec-
tarian bigotry and fanaticism of the so-called
rehgious world. Whosoever has read His Say-
ings is impressed with the universality of His
spiritual ideals which embraced the ideals of
all mankind. '
From His childhood Srt Ramakrishna fought
against all sectarian doctrines and dogmas, but
yet at the same time He showed that all sects
and creeds were but the paths which lead sincere
and earnest souls to the one universal goal of
all religions. Having realized the highest ideal
of every religion by following the methods and
practices of the various sects and creeds of the
world, Bhagavan Sri R4makrishna gave to
humanity whatever spiritual experience and
realization He had acquired. Every idea which
He gave was fresh from above and unadulterated
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
by the product of human intellect, culture or
scholastic education. Each step of His life
from bab.yhood to the last moment was extraor-
dinary. , Every stage was like the unfoldment
of a chapter of a new scripture especially written
out by the Unseen Hand to fit the minds of the
East and the West and to fulfil the spiritual
needs of the twentieth century.
BhagavSn Sri R4makrishna is not only the
greatest saint of modern India but He is the
"Real Mah^tman." A real Mah^tman as de-
scribed in the Bhagavad Git& (Chapter VII,
verse 19) is one who, having realized the Abso-
lute, perceives the Divine Being in all animate
and inanimate objects of the universe. His
heart and soul never turn away from God.
He lives in God-consciousness, and Divine
qualities constantly flow through his soul. He
cares neither for fame nor power nor worldly
prosperity. A true Mahitman has no attach-
ment to His body or to sense -pleasures ; He is a
living God ; He is absolutely free and His inner
nature is illumined by the self-effulgent light of
Divine wisdom and His heart is overflowing with
Divine Love. His soul becomes the playground
of the Almighty, His body and mind become
the instrument of the Divine will. And Bha-
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
gav&n Sri Rflmakrishna was such a real Mahftt-
man.
Even in this age when the vast majority of
educated people do not believe in the existence
of God and of the human soul, when scientific
knowledge has turned the minds of students
away from the path of spirituality, when sense-
pleasures and the luxuries of life have become
the ideals of earthly existence and human
beings have degenerated into money-making
machines, we have witnessed with our eyes a
Great Soul who is recognized as a Real Mahit-
man by hundreds and thousands of thoughtful
men and women of India, Europe and America.
This Great Soul manifested His Divine qualities
and lived in God -consciousness at every moment
of His earthly career, and to-day thousands of
people prostrate before His picture and worship
Him as the latest manifestation of Divinity.
Whosoever has heard of His most wonderful
life has felt in his soul that Rilmakrishna was
the perfect Ideal of mankind.
He made His appearance in an obscure part
of Bengal where He passed His early boy-
hood, but His youth and maturity were spent
near Calcutta, the capital of British India,
as cosmopolitan a city as London, New York,
6
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
oi* any other large city of the civilized world
and the seat of education, refinement and scien-
tific knowledge. He allowed the sceptical minds
of the students and professors of colleges and
universities as well as of educated men and
women of the world to come in direct touch with
the self-effulgent light of Divine wisdom which
was shining in its full glory through His child-
like, soft, and tender form. Scholars
im'i infiuina ^tid intelligent people of all classes
Hpoa iiM mind poured from every quarter to that spot
ofSchoUre. '^ ,. , .L , ...
which was sanctified by the presence-
of the Bhagavan. He was the living example
of the spiritual greatness and Divinity which
had been manifested by the great Incarnations
like Christ, Buddha, Krishna, Rftma, Chaitanya*
and other Saviours of the world.
We know a number of sceptics and agnostics
who had never believed in Christ or Buddha or
Krishna as Divine Incarnations, who had never
accepted the authority of the Scriptures, but on
• Chaitanya, the Founder of a sect of the Vaishnavas, is
regarded in India as the Incarnation of Krishna. He Is
also known as Ihe " Prophet of Nuddea," for Nuddea (or
Navadvipa) in Bengal was his birthplace. His other name
is Lord Gaurftnga (see p. 9). He was bom in 1485 a.i>.,
and was a contemporary of Luther,
7
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the contraTy had maintained that the lives of
Christ and of other Saviours were but exag-
gerated accounts based upon the imagination
of their disciples, anxious to deify their human
masters — such sceptics and unbelievers when
they met Rimakrishna and watched His super-
human life, were convinced that the lives of
Christ, Buddha, Krishna, and other AvatSras
must have been true and real. The same
sceptics, when they beheld His Divine powers,
were so deeply impressed with His personality
that they prostrated before Him, kissed the
dust of His holy feet and realized that He was
the Personification of the Sermon on the Mount,
the Incarnation of Divinity on earth, and the
remanifestation of Christ, Buddha, Krishna, and
Chaitanya in one form. All the special quali-
ties and Divine powers that had adorned the
wonderful character of each of these great
personages were witnessed by them in this
uncommon Divine manifestation of the nine-
teenth century.
Have we not watched with admiration when
the followers of all the great religions of the
world recognized in Srt Rflmakrishna their Divine
Ideals? Have we not seen how Quakers and
orthodox Christians knelt and prayed before
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Him and worshipped Him as the Christ when
the Bhagavftn went into superconscious com-
munion with the Heavenly Father
mnukriihiu
u the DivEoe after hearing the holy name of Jesus
id«j^oi.u of Nazareth? The Mahometan
saints who came to see Him, pros-
trated at His holy feet and recognized in Him
the highest Ideal of Islam. The Buddhists re-
garded Him as Sambuddha, the Enlightened,
The followers of Chaitanya, like Vaishnava Cha-
ran,* and others, worshipped Him as the second
Prophet of Nuddea when BhagavSn Srt Rama-
krishna occupied the altar which was reveren-
tially dedicated to Sri Chaitanya by hundreds
of devoted Vaishnavas, who always prostrated
before that altar and prayed to their Lord
Giiar^nga. The worshippers of Krishna called
Him the Incarnation of Krishna. The devotees
of the Divine Mother realized that the Mother
of the universe was playing through Him; the
followers of Shiva declared that Bhagavan Sri
RSmakrishna was their li\'ing Deity; while the
Sikhs, the faithful votaries of Guru N&naka,t
• Vaishnava Charan was a great Hindu saint and a true
follower of Chaitanya, whom he worshipped as the Ideal
Incarnation of Divine Love.
I Guru Nloaka was the founder of (he sect known as the
...Coogic
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
regarded Him as their Holy Master. His fol-
lowers, seeing all these powers, marvelled at His
greatness and believed that His many-sided
personality was the living example and the
consummation of all the previous Avat&.ras
and Divine manifestations. And the truth of
this was again and again verified and confirmed
by His acts as well as by His own words : " He
who was Krishna, Rima, Christ, Buddha, Chai-
tanya has now become R£Lmakrishna." Bhaga-
vkn was always conscious of this truth and spoke
of it before the world as well as before His
dearest disciples.
As His Divine personality was many-sided
yet one, so was His great mission. It was to
show the underlying unity in the
variety of religions and to establish
that universal religion of which sectarian re-
ligions are each but partial expressions. Like
all other Saviours the life of the BhagavSn
exemplified His mission. He spent the best
part of His life in practising in full the different
Sikhs, or disciples. He was l>ora near Lahore in the Punjab
(India) in the yeur 1469 a.d. and died in ti;3S a.d. He
was the tint of the ten Gunis or spiritual masters among the
Sikh people.. He it regarded by His followers as a mani'
testation of Divinity.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
methods of Yoga. He went through every
minute detail of the devotional exercises and
different forms of worship ordained by the
Scriptures of different nations and practised
by the followers of the various sects and creeds
of the world. His object in devoting so much
time to these practices was to find out whether
they had any real value in the path which leads
to perfection.
R&makrishna's mind was always open to
Truth. He would not accept anything on
second-hand authority. He would not believe
in anything because it was written in a book
or because it was declared by some great per-
sonage. He must know the Truth first hand.
Before accepting any statement, He must realize
it in His own life and then He would speak
of His personal experience to others in order
that they might gain benefit from it. For nearly
twelve years before He appeared in public or
made any disciples Srt RSmakrishna, like a
scientific investigator, inquired into the beliefs
of the various sects of every religion, followed
their methods and performed their rituals and
ceremonies with perfect faith and earnest devo-
tion that He might realize the goal which could
be reached by each of them. To His great
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
surprise, however, He discovered that He
arrived at God -consciousness through each
sectarian method. Whenever, furthermore, He
desired to follow any particular path, there
came to Him a perfected soul of each sect who
had realized the Ideal, to direct Him in that
path. Everyone of these great saints recognized
in Sri R^makrishna the manifestation of Divine
powers, when in a short time He attained to that
which they had not been able to acquire during
years of austerity, worship and extreme devotion.
Having finished His investigations, He was
ready to proclaim His fnessage and give to the
world the fruits of His own experience and
realization. But unlike other spiritual teachers.
He did not go out in search after His disciples
and followers. As a fragrant flower does not
hunt for bees but waits patiently for the bees
to come, so the full-blown flower of spirituality
in the form of Sri RAmakrishna waited for His
disciples to come to Him in the Temple garden
at Dakshineswara on the bank of the Ganges.
When Relmakrishna had attained to the
highest ideal of each Yoga and had realized the
spiritual oneness with the Absolute Brahman
and the Mother of the universe, rumor spread
from mouth to mouth that R^makrishna had
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRJSHNA
reached perfection in this life. People from all
quarters began to crowd around Him. Pandits
and scholars of every nationality as well as
hundreds of devout men and women of all sects
came to see Him and listen to His original and
wonderful teachings. This was the beginning
of His public life as spiritual leader and guide,
which continued for nearly sixteen years.
During this period He did nothing but help
mankind by freely distributing the priceless
jewels of spiritual truths which he had earned
through such stru^le, hardship and austerities.
Ramakrishna had a marvellous intellect and
keen -insight into the true nature of things and
HI* t^tMi events, and using the commonest oc-
io^i>'*' currences of every-day life as illus-
trations. He succeeded in making the dull minds
of worldly people grasp the spiritual depth,
beauty and grandeur of His- sublime ideals.
He poured new life into every word that He
uttered so as to touch the soul of His hearers.
People listened with wonder and Admiration
to His original discourses on the most difficult
problems concerning life and death, the nature
and origin of the soul, the origin of the universe
and our relation to God.
In this age of scientific rationalism Bhaga-
., Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
v4n Srt Kflmakrishna has shown to the world
how the Lord of the universe can be realized
RdJiiaUoD and attained in this Hfe, and no one
"'*'«^- except Him has ventured to go
through all the tests of sceptics and agnostics
to prove that He had attained to God-conscious-
ness. Those who have seen Him, lived with
Him for years and watched Him by day and by
night, have proclaimed before the world that He
was the embodiment of the highest spiritual
ideals of all nations, and that whoever worships
Him with faith and reverence worships the
latest manifestation of Divinity.
The BhagavSn proved by His example that
wherever there is extreme longing to see God,
there is the nearness of the realization of the
absolute Truth. His life has given to the world
a grand demonstration that even in this age
Divinity can be reached and Divine perfection
can be acquired by one who is pure, chaste,
simple and whose devotion is whole-hearted and
whole-souled. We have neither seen nor heard
of a character -purer, simpler, more chaste, more
truthful and more godly than that of this ideal
Mahatman, He was like the personification of
purity and chastity and the embodiment of
truthfulness.
»4
'u...... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
His life was the life of absolute renunciation.
Earthlj' pleasures and comforts meant nothing
to Him. The only pleasure, comfort or happi-
ness which He cared for was the blissful state
of Sam^hi or God-consciousness, when His
soul, liberated from the bondage of body and
mind, soared high in the infinite space of the
Absolute. This SamMhi was a natural state
with R&makrishna. He never had to make a
special effort to attain it. We often heard Him
say that when He was four years old He went
into Sam&dhi at the sight of the beautiful color-
ing of a tropical cloud. This realization He
always remembered and often described in His
conversation. And as He grew older His
SamMhi or ecstasy became stronger and deeper.
In His Samidhi His body would become ab-
solutely motionless, His pulse and heart-beat
imperceptible, His eyes would be half
HliSuBJIdld. *^ ^ . J XT-
Open and if anyone pressed His eye-
ball with the finger, His body would not move
or show the least sign of sensation. He would
remain in this state sometimes for a few minutes,
sometimes for half an hour or an hour, and on
one occasion He continued in it for three days
and nights. Then He would come down on
the plane of sense-consciousness and relate His
u.,M,».,,,Googlc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
experiences. He had the power to separate
Himself from the cage of the physical oi^anism
and to go into this state of Divine communion
at His will and stay there as long as He wished.
Frequently He told us that He reached such a
height in Sam&dhi that if He had been like an
ordinary mortal He could never have returned
to His body ; that no mortal had ever come back
from that kind of SamMhi; and that the Divine
Mother gave Him this power to return to this
plane simply to help mankind and to establish
His mission.
To Him God was father, mother, brother,
sister, and everything. He recognized no earthly
relations. He never coveted wealth, nor had He
any earthly possession. He realized that gold
had no more value than earth and became ab-
Hi* rMiuoda- solutely unattached to riches, under-
""• standing the transitoriness of the
objects which can be acquired by wealth. He
often said that immortality could not be pur-
chased by money, and emphasized by His ex-
ample the true meaning of the Vedic passage:
"Neither by meritorious deed, nor by progeny,
nor by wealth, but by renunciation alone the
Immortal Truth can be acquired." Renuncia-
tion of the attachment to worldly things is the
i6
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
gate to God -consciousness. Christ, Buddha,
Chaitanya, Sankarfichllrya an_d all other Saviours
and spiritual leaders of the world exemplified
this by living the life of absolute renunciation.
It is very rare to find in this age a perfect ideal
of the renunciation of lust and of worldly attach-
ment. Bhagavan Sri R^makrishna practised the
ideal of the renunciation of riches to such an ex- '
tent that He was able to make His body respond
involuntarily to the touch of coin by shrinking
fcom it even in sound sleep. We have often seen
Him sufEer pain when he was obliged to touch a
coin of any metal. Who could be a more perfect
ideal of renunciation in this age of materialism],
Sri REtmakrishna taught that every woman,
old or young, was the representative of the
Ha npuHed Divine Mother. He worshipped God
wonuiihood. as the Mother of the universe and fre-
quently declared that His Divine Mother had
shown Him that all women represent Divine
Motherhood on earth. For the first time in
the religious history of the world was this ideal
preached by any Divine Incarnation. And
upon thi^ depends the salvation of men and
especially of women of all countries from immo-
rality, corruption and such other vices as prevail
in a civilized community.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
By His living example the Bhagavftn estab-
lished the' truth of spiritual marriage on the
soul plane even in this age of sensuality. He
had a wife whom He always treated with rever-
ence and whom He regarded as the manifesta-
tion of His Divine Mother. He never had any
sex relation with her or with any woman on the
■ physical plane. His wife, the Blessed Virgin
Sarada Devi, is still living like an embodiment
of Holy Motherhood with innumerable spirittial
children around Her. She in turn has always
regarded the Bhagav^ as Her Blessed Mother
Divine in a human form. Up to the last
moment of His earthly career the Bhagavan
was absolutely pure, chaste, and a perfect child
of His Divine Mother of the universe. Further-
more, Ramakrishna uplifted the ideal of woman-
hood on the spiritual plane by accepting His
first Guru or spiritual instructor in a woman
form. No other Saviour or spiritual leader has
ever given such an honor to womanhood in the
annals of religious history.
The mission of Bhagav^n Srt RfUn&krishna
was to show by His living example hcrw a truly
spiritual man, being dead to the world
of senses, can live on the spiritual
plane of God-consciousness; it was to prove
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
that each individual soul is immortal and
potentially Divine. His mission was to estab-
lish harmony between religious sects and creeds.
For the first time it was absolutely demonstrated
by Rlmakrishna that all religions are like so
many paths leading to the same Goal, that the
realization of the same Almighty Being is the
highest Ideal of Christianity, Mahometanism,
Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, as well as
of all other smaller religions of the world. Sri
R&makrishna's mission was to proclaim the
eternal Truth that God is one but has many
aspects, and that the same one is worshipped
by different nations under various names and
forms; that He is personal, impersonal and
beyond both; that He is with name and form
and yet nameless and formless. His mission
, was to establish the worship of the Divine
: Mother and thus to elevate the ideal of woman-
hood into Divine Motherhood. His mission
was to show by His own example that true
spirituality can be transmitted and that salva-
tion can be obtained through the grace of a
Divine Incarnation, His mission was to declare
before the world that psychic powers and the
power of healing are obstacles in the path of
the attainment of God-consciousness.
,, Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Bhagav^n Sri RAmakrishna possessed all the
Yoga powers but He seldom exercised those
HisOiviae powers, especially the power of heal-
powtn. jjjg diseases. Moreover, He always
prevented His disciples from either seeking or
exercising those powers. But one power which
we have seen Him frequently exercise was the
Divine power to transform the character of a
sinner and to lift a worldly soul to the plane
of superconsciousness T)y a single touch. He
would take the sins of others upon His own
shoulders and would purify them by trans-
mitting His own spirituality and opening the
spiritual eyes of His true followers.
The days of prophecy have passed before our
eyes. The manifestations of the Divine powers
of One who is worshipped to-day by thousands
as the latest Incarnation of Divinity, we have
witnessed with our eyes. Blessed are they who
have seen Him and touched His holy f^et.
May the glory of Sri R&makrishna be felt by
all nations of the earth; may His Divine power
be manifested in the earnest and sincere souls of
His devotees of all countries in all ages to come,
is the prayer of His child and servant,
AbhedXnanda,
...Google
U.g.V6c.y Google
.y Google
CHAPTER I
srI rAmakrishna at the temple
of daeshineswara
BhagavAn * Sri Ramakrishna lived for
many years in Rfltii R^shmoni's celebrated
Temple garden on the eastern- bank
I of the Ganges in the ■ village tif
-•«. Dakshineswara about four miles north
of Calcutta. This Temple with the garden at-
tached was dedicated by its foundress {Rini
Rflshmoni) to the Divine Mother (Kaii). In
the northwest comer of the spacious Temple-
compound is a small room which faces on the
west the waters of the sacred river Ganges.
This room with its holy surroundings was con-
• "Bhagavan" is a Sanskrit word meaning "The Blessed
Lord." When the word is used wi'tout the accent oa "a"
of tbe last syllable it signil^es the vocative case used in address-
ing A Saviour. '
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAK.RISHNA
secrated as ihe dwelling-place for many years
of Bhagavan Srt RSmakrishna, whose Divine
Presence made the spot holier and more sacred.
It was from this retired comer that the rays
of His Divine glory, emanating from His God-
intoxicated soul, dazzled the eyes of the seekers
after Truth and attracted them to Him as a
blazing fire attracts moths from all quarters.
Hundreds of educated men and women were
drawn towards this superhuman personality to
listen with the deepest reverence to the words
of wisdom uttered by One who had realized
God ftUd who lived in constant communion with
the Divine Mother of the universe.
One Sunday in the month of March, 1883,
Mahendra, hearing from a friend about this
Maheodra'* Divine Man, was so deeply impressed
vidttotiie that he came to the Temple garden
™""' to pay Him a respectful visit. It was
the day of a special religious festival and people
had gathered in great numbers in Sri Rilma-
krishna's room and on the veranda. The Bha-
gavSn was seated on a raised platform, and on
the floor around Him were Kedir, Suresh, RSm,
Manmohan, Bijoy, and many other devotees.
They gazed up into His radiant face and drank
the nectar of the living words of Divine wisdom
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
that fell from His hallowed lips. With a smiling
face Sri RSmakrishna was speaking to them
of the power of the Lord's Holy Name and true
Bhakti as the means of attaining God-vision.
Addressing Bijoy,* He asked; What do you say
is the means of attaining to God?
Bijoy: Bhagavan, by the repetition of His
Holy Name. In this age the Holy Name o"f the
Lord has saving powers.
Bhagavan; Yes, the Holy Name has saving
powers, but there must be earnest longing with
power of the '*■ Without earnest longing of the
Lord'»Hoiy heart no one can see God by mere
Nwn. repetition of His Name. One may
repeat His Name, but if one's mind be attached
tp lust and wealth, that will not help much.
When a man is bitten by a scorpion or a taran-
tula, mere repetition of a moH/rowwill not do;
a special remedy is necessary.
Bijoy: If that be the case, Bhagavan, then
how did Ajimila,t who was the greatest of
* Bijoy was the first name of Bijoy Krishna Goswami, the
celebrated preacher, lecturer, writer and spiritual teacher
(Achliya) of the BrShmo Samftj in Calcutta.
t Ajamila was the name of a sinner who received salvation
bj repeating the name of the Lord (whkh was also the name
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRXSHNA
sinners and committed all sorts of crimes, ob-
tain salvation by repeating the Name of the
Lord at the time of his death?
Ramakrishna : Perhaps in his previous incar-
nations Ajamila was righteous and performed
a great many good deeds. Besides, it is said
that he practised asceticism later in this life. .
It may also be said that at the last moment of
his life the repetition of the Holy Name purified
his heart and therefore he attained salvation.
When an elephant is washed, immediately he
throws dust and dirt over himself; but if he is
kept in a clean stall after his bath, then he
cannot cover himself with dirt. By the power
of the Holy Name a man may be purified, but
he may once more commit sinful acts because
his mind is weak. He cannot promise that he
will never sin again. The water of the Ganges
may wash away past sins, but there is a saying
that sins perch on the top of trees. When a man
comes out of 'the Ganges and stands under a
tree, the sins drop over his shoulders and seize
upon him; these old sins ride him, as it were.
Therefore, repeat the Holy Name of the Lord,
ot hia son) at the last moment of his life. The story of his
life is given in the Pur&nas and is well known to the Hindus.
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
but at the same time pray to Him that you
may have true love and devotion for Him, and
that your love for wealth, fame and the pleasures
of the body may decrease because they are
transitory, they last only until to-morrow.
When there is true devotion and love, one
can reach God by any of the sectarian religions.
AiireiisioH The Vaishnavas. the worshippers of
tad 10 ood. Krishna, will attain God in the same
way as the Saktas, the worshippers of the Divine
Mother, or the followers of Ved&nta. Those who
belongtto the BrShmo-Samclj,* the Mahometans
and Christians, will also realize God through
their respective religions. If you follow any
of these paths with intense devotion, you will
reach Him. If there be any mistake in the
path chosen, He will correct the mistake in the
long run The man who wishes to see Jagan-
nith t inay go towards the South instead of
♦ Bcihmo Samaj is the name of the Hindu Unitarian
cJiurch founded by Rijft Rlmmohun Roy in 1830 AD.
It has now various branches in India. The original organi-
zation ia now known as the Adi SamSj Keshab Chunder
Sen was the founder of the sect called "New Dispensation," ■
while Shivanath SSstri was the founder of the S4dh4ian
Brahmo Sam&j.
tjagannatb literally means the "Lord of the Universe."
There ii a great Temple at Puri in India where the Car festival
as
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
towards the North, but some one wilt sooner
or later direct him in the right way and he will
surely visit JagannAth in the end. The one
thing necessary for realization is whole-hearted
and whole-souled devotion to God.
Vaishnavas, Mahometans, Christians and
Hindus are all longing for the same God; but
MaDrnuiiB they do not know that He who is
of omOod. Krishna is also Shiva, Divine Mother,
Christ and Allah. God is one, but He has many
names. The Substance is one, but is worshipped
under different names according to tlft time,
place and nationality of His worshippers. All
the different Scriptures of the world speak of
the same God. He who is described in the
Vedas as Absolute Exist ence-lntelligence-piiss
or Brahman, is also described in the Tantras *
as Shiva, in the PurSnas f as Krishna, in the
Koran as Allah, and in the Bible as Christ. Yet
takes place every year. Hence the i
'■The Car of Juggernath."
* Tanlras are sacred writings of the Shaiva and Sikta sects
among the Hindus.
t Purinas are (he sacred Scriptures of the Hindus next in
authoril)- lo the Vedas. There are 18 Great Purftnas and
niany smaller Pur&nas.
U.g.V6c.y Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the various sects quarrel with one another. The
worshippers of Krishna, for instance, say that
nothing can be achieved without worshipping
Krishna ; those who are devoted to the Divine
Mother think that the worship of the Divine
Mother is the only way to salvation : similarly,
the Christians say that no one can reach heaven
except through Christ; He is the only way and
Christianity is the only religion, all other reli-
gions are false. This is narrow-mindedness.
BitoiiT la noi "My religion is true white that of
riih»- others is false," — this kind of belief
is not right. It is not our business to correct the
errors of other religions. He who has created
the world will correct them in time. Our duty
is in some way or other to realize Him. God
can be reached through many paths; each of
these sectarian religions points out a path which
ultimately leads to Divinity. Yes, all religions
are paths, but the paths are not God. 1 have
seen all sects and all paths. I do not care for
them any more People belonging to these
sects quarrel so much! After trying all re-
ligions. I have realized that God is the Whole
and I am His part; that He is the Lord and I
am His servant ; again I realize. He is I ; I am
He.
,y Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
People dispute among themselves, saying:
"God is personal, with fonn. He cannot be
OodPemui impersonal and formless, "^like the
and Vaishnavas who find fault with those
mpenoiui. ^j^^ worship the Impersonal Brah-
man. When realization comes, then all these
questions are settled. He who has seen God
can tell exactly what He is like. As Kavira *
said: "God with form is my Mother, God with-
out form is my Father. Whom shall I blame,
whom shall I praise? The balance is even."
He is with form, yet He is formless. He is
personal, yet He is impersonal, and who can
say what other aspects He may have!
Four blind men went to see an elephant.
One touched, a leg of the elephant and said:
Panibia of (h* "The elephant is hke a pillar." The
(iqiiMnt and second touched the trunk and said ;
(heuiodmen. ,,-j,j^^ elephant is like a thick club."
The third touched the belly and said: "The
• Kavira was a Hindu saint who lived belween 1488 and
1512 A.D. Rising from the low casle of a weaver he became
the founderof a Vaishnava sect called after his name "Kavira
Panth." His teachings were so broad and universal that they
were accepted by the Mahometans as well as the Hindus of all
castes. Even now there are thousands among the lowerclasaea
of the Hindus who reganJ him as their spiritual master.
...Cooi^lc
. GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
elephant is like a huge jar." The fourth touched
the ears and said: "The elephant is like a big
winnowing-basket." Then they began to dis
pute among themselves as to the figure of the
elephant. A passer-by, seeing them thus quar-
relling, asked them what it was about. They
told him everything and begged him to settle
the dispute. The man repHed: "None of you
has seen the elephant. The elephant is not like
a pillar, its legs are like pillars. It is not like
a big water-jar, its belly is like a water-jar. It
is not like a winnowing-basket, its ears are like
winnowing-baskets. It is not like a stout club,
its trunk is like a club. The elephant is like
the combination of all these." In the same
manner do those sectarians quarrel who have
seen only one aspect of the Deity. He alone
who has seen God in all His aspects can settle
all disputes.
Again: Two persons were hotly disputing as
to the color of a chameleon. One said: "The
chameleon on that palm-tree is of
* a red color." The other, contra-
dicting him, replied; "You are mis-
taken, the chameleon is not red but blue."
Not being able to settle the matter by argument,
both went to the person who always lived under
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
that tree and had watched the chameleon in
all its phases of color. One of them asked him :
"Sir, is not the chameleon on that tree red?"
The person replied: "Yes, sir." The other
disputant said: "What do you say? It is not
red, it is blue." The person again humbly'
replied: "Yes, sir." The person knew that the
chameleon is an animal which constantly changes
color; thus it was that he said "yes" to both
these conflicting statements. The Sat-chit-
Snanda (the Absolute Existence -Intelligence-
Bliss) likewise has many forms. The devotee
who has seen God in one aspect only, knows Him
in that aspect alone. But he who has seen
Him in manifold aspects is alone in a position
to say with authority: "All these forms are of
one God and God is multiform." He is formless
. and with form, and many are His forms which
no one knows.
God is not only personal and with form but
He can take the form of Krishna. Christ or any
iHH«Ht other Incarnation. It is true that
■wku <i He manifests Himself in infinite
'*^"'*^- forms to fulfil the desires of His
devotees. It is also true that He is formless
Indivisible Existence-! ntelhgence-Bliss Absolute.
The Vedas have described Him to be both
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OP RAMARRISHNA
personal, with form and attributes, and imper-
sonal, beyond all form and attributes. Do
you know how this is? He is like the infinite
ocean of Absolute Existence-Intelligence-Bliss,
As in the ocean intense cold will freeze a
portion of the water into ice which
hnen Qod niay float m vanous forms on the
water, similarly intense devotion
(Bhakti) may condense a portion of
Divinity and make it appear in different
forms. The Personal God with form exists
for the sake of His Bhaktas (dualistic devo-
tees). When the sun of wisdom rises, the
block of ice melts and becomes water once
more; above, below, and on every side the
Infinite Being pervades. Therefore there is a
prayer in the Scriptures: "0 Lord, Thou art
personal with form. Thou art also impersonal
and formless. Thou hast manifested Thyself
in a human form and hast lived in our midst,
but in the Vedas Thou art described as beyond
speech and mind, Unspeakable, Imperceptible
and Unthinkable." But it can be Said that
for a certain»ciass of Bhaktas He is eternally
personal and always with form. There are
places where the ice never melts, it becomes
crystallized.
U.g.V6c.y Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Kedar: * Bhagavati, it is also said in the
Scriptures; "O Lord, Thou art beyond speech
and mind, but I have described Thy Personal
form only, do Thou forgive me for this offense."
Bhagavftn: Yes, God is with form and also
formless. No one can say positively that He is
so much and no more. To a devotee (Bhakta,
or lover of God) the Lord appears as a Personal
Being with form, but to one who has attained
to the state of selfless SamSdhi through the path
of discrimination and knowledge He is the
formless, Impersonal and Absolute Brahman.
Night had fallen and the priests were moving
the lights before the shrines to the accompani-
EviolnKBt ment of bells, cymbals, and drums.
lite Temph. From the southern end of the garden
was wafted the sweet music played by the
Temple musicians upon flutes and other instru-
ments — the music being carried far over the
Ganges until it was lost. The breeze blowing
from the south was gentle and fragrant with
the sweet odor of many flowers. The moon
was rising and the garden was soon bathed in
•
• KedSr was a great dualislic Bhakta, or a lover of God.
He belonged lo the Vaishnava setl of Chaitanya. He re-
garded R&makrishna as the Incarnation of Dtviiie Love.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKBISHNA
its soft silvery light. It seemed as if nature as
well as man was rejoicing and holding herself
in readiness for the sacred ceremony of the
Arati (eyening service).
One by one the disciples began to take their
leave. Mahendra * and his friend, who had
been visiting the different temples, now wended
their way back through the grand quadrangle
to Sri R&makrishna's chamber. Coming up to
the door of the room, they noticed that it was
closed. Near the door stood a maid-servant
named Brind^. Mahendra spoke to her,
saying: Well, my good woman, is the Holy
Man in?
Brind4: Yes, He is in His room.
Mahendra: I suppose He has many books to
read and study ?
BrindS,: Oh dear no; not a single one.
Everything, even the highest truths, is spoken
by His tongue. His words are all inspired.
* Mahendm is the firat name of Babu Mahendra Nath
Gupta. He was a professor of Englidi literature in Cal-
cutta University, He is a devoted householder disciple
of Rtoiakrislina. ' He is the author of "Ramakrishna Ka-
thftmrita" (or The Nectarof the Sayingsof RjLmakrishna) in
Bei^li. It was he who kept a diary of the events which are
now translated and embodied in the present volume.
33
u,„,,... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Mahendra: Indeedl ■ Is He now going through
-he evening service? May we go in? Will you
kindly tell Him of our anxiety to see Him ?
Brindi: Why, you may go in, my children.
Go in and take your seats before Him.
Thereupon they entered the room. No other
people were there. Bhagavftn Sri R^tm^krishna
was alone, seated as in the afternoon on the
platform beside His bpd. Incense was burning
and the doors were closed. Mahendra saluted
the Bhagavan with folded hands. A mat was
pointed out on the floor. At His word Mahen-
dra and his friend took their seats upon it.
The Bhagavan asked hir;^: What is your name?
Where do you live? What are you? What has
brought you to Barihanagore?*
Mahendra answered each of these questions,
but he noticed that in the course of the con-
versation Sri Rftmakrishna's mind was fixed
upon some other object, on which He was
meditating. He was only half-conscious of the
physical plane and His attitude resembled that
of a man quietly seated rod in hand, intent on
catching fish. When the float trepibles and the
fish bites, the man eagerly looks at the float,
• Barahanagorc is a suburb o£ Cafcutta.
34
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
grasping the rod with all his strength. He
does not talk to anyone, but his whole mind is
fixed upon the float. Such was the Bhagavfln's
concentration at this moment. Mahendra
learned afterwards that this was the state of
Samidhi or God-consciousness which invariably
came over Him every day during the evening
service. Very often in this state He would
become absolutely unconscious of the external
world. Mahendra, observing His abstraction,
said to Srt R^makrishna: I am afraid, Bha-
gavan, that Thou wouldst prefer'to go through
the evening service (Sandhy&) alone. In tliat
case we will not disturb Thee any more, but
will call some other time.
Srt RSmakrishna replied: Oh no, you need
not be in a hurry.
But He was silent again for a time. He
then opened His lips and said: SandhyH?
Evening service? It is not that.
A short while after, Mahendra saluted the
Bhagavtln, who in turn bade him good-bye,
saying, "Come again."
U.g.V6c.y Google
CHAPTER II
srI ramakrishna with his disciples at
the temple
The Bhagavan was in His room seated in
His usual place on the small platform beside
His bed. It was Sunday and the room was
filled with a large number of devotees. Among
them was a young college student only nine-
teen years of age named Narendra, who after-
wards became the world -renowned Sw^mi
Vivekananda. Everyone noticed even at that
time that he was a sincere and earnest seeker
after Truth and that his mind was above all
worldly concerns. His eyes were shining with
spiritual light, his face was aglow with innocence
and simplicity, and his words were full of spirit-
ual power. The Bhagavan was discoursing on
worldly people who ridicule the worshippers
of God. Especially addressing Narendra, He
asked: What do you say, Narendra? Worldly
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
men will speak all manner of things against
godly people, but they should act like the
elephant. When an elephant passes through a
public road, dogs run after him and bark at
him ; but the elephant turns a deaf ear to their
barking and goes on his own way. Suppose,
my boy, people should speak ill of you behind
your back, what would you think of them?
Narendra: I would look upon them as a lot -
of barking dogs.
The Bhagav^n laughed and said: No, my
friend, do not go so far as that. You should
Ood dwiUa love everyone; no one is a stranger;
'■ ■"■ God dwells in all beings ; without
Him nothing can exist. When PrahlUda * real-
ized Him, the Lord asked him to crave a boon,
PrahlMa replied: "When I have seen Thee,
what other boon do I need?" The Lord asked
him again. He then prayed: "If Thou wishest
to grant me a boon, do Thou forgive those who
have persecuted me." PrahlSda meant that
by persecuting him they had persecuted the
Lord dwelling within him. Know that God
resides in all things animate and inanimate.
Hence everything is an object of worship, be
*Seen<
u.g.v6^.y Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
it men, beasts or birds, plants or minerals.
In our relation with men all that we can do
is to take heed to ourselves that we mix with
good people and avoid bad company. It is
true, however, that God resides in bad people
also, yes, even in a tiger; but surely it does not
follow that we should embrace a tiger. It
may be asked; Why should we run away from
a tiger when God is dwelling in that form?
To this the answer is that God abiding in our
hearts directs us to run away from the tiger.
Why should we not obey His will?
In a certain forest there lived a sage who had
a number of disciples. He taught his disciples
the truth: "God dwells in all things.
Parable ol Ihe ^, , . "
ditcifie and Knowing this, you should bend your
•'Jl^™'"'*- knee before every object." One day
a disciple went out into the forest
for wood. On his way he saw a man riding
a mad elephant and shouting: "Get out of the
way, get out of the way! This is a mad ele-
phant." The disciple, instead of running away,
remembered his master's teaching and began
to reason: "God is in the elephant as well
as in me. God cannot be hurt by God, so
why should I run away?" Thus thinking, he
stood where he was and saluted the elephant
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKEISHNA
as he came nearer. ■ The driver (Mahcxit) kept
on shouting: "Get out of the way!" but the
disciple would not move, until he was snatched
up by the mad elephant and dashed to one
side. The poor boy, bruised and bleeding, lay
on the ground unconscious. The sage, hearing
of the accident, came with his other disciples
to carry him home. When after some time
the unfortunate pupil recovered consciousness,
he described what had happened. The sage
replied : My boy, it is true that God is manifest
in everything. But if He is in the elephant,
is He not equally manifest in the driver (M^-
hoot)? Tell me why you did not pay heed to
the warning of the driver?
The Bhagav^n continued: In the sacred
Scriptures it is written, "God dwells in water";
but some water can be used for' divine service,
Oodio or for drinking purposes, some for
everythiBi. bathing Or washing, while dirty water
cannot be touched even. In the sanae manner,
although God resides in all human beings,
still there are good men and bad men, there
are lovers of God and those who do not love
God. We should recognize Divinity in all, but
we should not mix with bad people or with
those who do not love God. Our relation with
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
them must not be very close. It is wise to
avoid the company of such people.
Narendra : * What attitude should we hold
when wicked -people come to disturb our peace
or do actually offend us?
Bhagavan : A person living in society should
have a little Tamas (the spirit of resisting evil)
RMistuM of for purposes of self -protection. But
""■ this is necessary only for outward
show, its object being to prevent the wicked
from doing harm to you. At the same time
you should not do actual injury to another on
the ground that he has done injury to you.
There was a lai^e venomous snake in a field.
No one dared to go that way. One day a holy
Pwabi* of the i"*ii (Mahatmi) passed by that road
nuke uid tb* and the serpent ran after the sage to
boiyaua. ^j^^ ^^^ g^^ when the snake ap-
proached the holy man, he lost all his ferocity
and was overpowered by the gentleness of the
Yogi. Seeing him, the sage said: "Well, my
friend, think you to bite me?" The snake was
abashed and made no reply. At this the sage
continued: "Hearken, friend; do not injure any-
one in future." The snake bowed and nodded
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
assent. The sage went his way, and the
snake entered his hole and thenceforward began
to live a life of innocence, without attempt-
ing to harm anyone. In a few days all the
neighborhood concluded that the snake had
lost his venom and was no longer dangerous;
so everyone began to tease him. They pelted
him with stones or dragged him mercilessly by
the tail, and there was no end to his troubles.
Fortunately the sage again passed that way,
and seeing the bruised and battered condition
of the snake, was very much moved and in-
quired the cause. "Holy Sir," the snake re-
plied, "this is because I do not injure anyone
after your advice. But alas! they are so
merciless!" The sage smilingly said: "My
friend, I simply advised you not to bite anyone;
but I did not tell you not to frighten others.
Although you should not bite any living creature,
still you should keep people at a distance by
hissing at them." And Sri R^makrishna added:
There is no harm in "hissing" at wicked men
and at your enemies, showing that you can
protect yourself and know how to resist evil.
Only you must be careful not to pour your
venom into the blood of your enemy. Resist
not evil by causing evil in return.
,, Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
One of the devotees present said : But when
a person is annoyed with me, Bhagavan, I
feel unhappy. I feel that I have not
Love ror all. , , , ,,
been able to love everyone equally.
Ramakrishna: When you fee! that way, you
should have a talk with that person and try
to make peace with him. If you fail after
such attempts, then you need not give it fur-
ther thought. Take refuge with the Lord.
Think upon Him. Do not let your mind be
disturbed by any other thing.
Devotee: Christ and Chaitanya have both
taught us to love all mankind.
RAmakrishna: You should love everyone be-
cause Gcd dwells in all beings. But to wicked
people you should bow down at a distance.
(To Bijoy, smiling) Is it true that people blame
A true divotH you because you mix with those who
>tway> aim. believe in a Personal God with form ?
A true devotee of God should possess absolute
calmness and never be disturbed by the opinions
of others. Like a blacksmith's anvil, he will
endure all blows and persecutions and yet re-
main firm in his faith and always the same.
Company ol Wicked people may say many things
die wicked, about you and blame you ; but if you
long for God, you should endure with patience.
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
One can think on God even dwelling in the
midst of wicked people. The sages of ancient
times, who lived in forests, could meditate on
God although surrounded by tigers, heafs, and
other wild beasts. The nature of the wicked
is like that of a tiger or bear. They attack
the innocent and injure them. You should be
especially cautious in coming in contact with
the following: First, the wealthy. A person
who possesses wealth and many attendants can
easily do harm to another if he so desires. You
should be very guarded in speaking with him;
sometimes it may even be necessary to agree
with him in his opinion. Second, a dog. When
a dog barks at you, you must not run, but talk
to him and quiet him. Third, a bull. When
a bull chases you, you should always pacify him
by talking to him. Fourth, a drunkard. If
you make him angry, he will call you names
and swear at you. You shpuld address him
as a dear relative, then he will be happy and
obliging.
When wicked people come to see me, I am
very careful. The character of some of them
is like that of a snake. They may bite you
unawares. It may take a long time and much
discrimination to recover from the effects of
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
that bite. Or you may get so angry at them
that you will TOish to take revenge. It is
necessary, however, to keep occasionally the
company of holy men. Through such associa-
tion right discrimination will come.
There are four classes of Jivas, or individual
souls: First, Baddha, the bound; second,
Mutnukshu, the seeker after freedom; third,
Mukta, the emancipated; and fourth, Nilya-
mukta, the eternally free. This world is like a
RwctouM ^^^- ^^^ ^°"^ ^^ '■^^ *^^^' ^""^ '■^^ Lord
ot individiui of the phenomenal world is the fisher-
""^ man. When a fisherman draws in his
net, some of the fish try to escape by rending
the net, that is, they struggle for freedom.
So are the souls of the second class, the Mumuk-
skus, the seekers after freedom. But among
the fish that struggle, only a few escape. Simi-
larly, a few souls only attain to freedom and
they belong to the third class, the Muklas.
There are some fish, however, that are naturally
cautious and never fall into the net. Such are
the souls of the fourth class, the Nitya-muklas,
who are never caught in the net of the phenom-
enal world, but who remain eternally free, like
N&rada* and others like him. Most of the fish,
♦ See note page 168.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
however, fall "into the net and have not the
sense to know that they are going to die there.
When caught, they try to run away and hide
in the mud at the bottom by swimming with
the net. They make no effort to get out of the
net, but go deeper and deeper into the mud.
These may be compared to the souls who are
bound fast in the world. They are caught in
the net, but they delude themselves by thinking
that they are happy. They remain attached
to worldliness. They plunge into the mire o£
worldly evils and are content, whil? those
who are seeking after freedom or who are eman-
cipated do not like worldliness and do not care
for sense -pleasures.
Those who are thus caught in the net of the
world are the Baddha, or bound souls. No one
can awaken them. They do not come
to their senses even after receiving
blow upon blow of misery, sorrow and inde-
scribable suffering. The camel loves thorny
bushes, and although his mouth bleeds when
he eats them, still he does not cease to love
them dearly and no one can keep him away
from them.. The bound souls may meet with
great grief and misfortune, but after a few days
they are just as they were before. The wife
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA _
may die or become unchaste, the man will
marry again; his son may die, he will be ex-
tremely sorrowful, but he will soon forget him.
The mother of the boy may be overwhelmed
with grief for a short time, but in a few days
she will once more be concerned for her personal
appearance and will deck herself with jewels
and finery. Such worldly people may be left
paupers after marrying their sons and daughters,
yet they will still beget children every year.
They may lose their fortune by a lawsuit, but
they will again go to the courts. They may
not be able to support their children, to educate,
feed, clothe, or house them properly, still they
will continue to have more. They are like the
snake with a musk-rat in its mouth. As the
snake cannot swallow the rat because of its
strong odor, neither can it throw it out because
of its own bent teeth, so these bound souls,
Baddhas, although they may occasionally feel
that the world is unreal, can neither give it up
nor can they fix their minds on the Reality
of the universe. I once saw a relative of Keshab
Chunder Sen, who was quite old, still playing
cards as if the time for meditating On God had
not come for him.
There is another sign of a Baddha, or worldly
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
soul. If you remove him from the world and
put him in a better place, he will pine away
and die. He will work like a slave to support
his family, and he will not hesitate to tell lies,
to deceive or to flatter in order to earn his liveli-
hood. He looks upon those who worship God
or who meditate on the Lord of the universe as
insane. He never finds time or opportunity
to think of spiritual subjects. Even at the hour
of death he will think and talk of worldly
things. Whatever thought is strongest in the
minds of worldly people comes out at the time
of death. If they become delirious, they rave
of nothing but material objects. They may go
to places of worship, but so long as their minds
are attached to the world, worldly thoughts will
rise at the last moment. As a parrot may be
taught to utter the Lord's Holy Name, but when
attacked by a cat, screams and gives its natural
• cry; so they may repeat the Holy Name of the
Lord, but when attacked by death, the natural
tendency of their minds will predominate. It
is said in the Bhagavad Git& that the
whatthoa future is determined by the thought
•bait baconw. that is Uppermost at the moment of
death, and in the Purina there is a
• story that King Bharata was bom as a deer
47
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
because when he died, his mind was fixed on
the thought of a deer. * He who passes away
thinking of God and meditating on Him, does
not come back to this world.
A devotee: Bhagavan, will a man who thinks
of God, but who does not meditate on Him
at the time of death, be bom again?
Sri R3,makrishna: An ordinary soul who has
no faith in God may think of Him for a time,
but easily forgets Him again and becomes
attached to the world. If, however, he con-
centrates his mind upon God at the last moment
of his life, his heart and soul become purified
and remain so even after death. People suffer
I so much because they have no faith
in God. In order to be able to think
of God at the time of death we must
prepare our mind by constant practice. The
practice of meditation on God will create a
tendency of mind to think of Him spontane-
ously even at the last moment.
A devotee: Bhagavan, what condition of
mind is necessary for a worldly person to attain
to freedom.'
R^makrishna: If by the Grace of the Lord
strong dispassion for worldly things arises in his
mind, then such a person becomes free from.
,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
all earthly attachment. What is this strong dis-
passion? Let me tell you. Ordinary dispassion
DinauiD Diakes the mind think of the Lord
occasionally, but there is no longing
in the heart. Strongdispassion,onthecontrary,
makes the mind dwell constantly on the Lord
with the same intense longing as a mother feels
forheronlychild. Hewho has strong dispassion
does not want anything but the Lord. He looks
at the world as a deep well and is always fearful'
lest he may fall into it. Earthly relations seem
to him very distant. He does not seek their
company. His whole heart and soul yearn for
God. He does not think of his family, nor does
he think of the morrow. He also possesses
great spiritual force.
Let me explain this to you by a parable:
In a certain place there had been a long drought.
ParaUa of Oe '^^^ farmers were irrigating their
tanner and fields by canals, bringing water from
a long distance. One farmer had
great determination and force of character.
One morning he made up his mind that he would
continue to dig his canal until he had connected
it with the river and brought the water to his
field. He was so busy digging that he lost
account of time. The hour for luncheon came
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKKlSHNA
and passed. His wife called him to come home,
wash and eat. "The luncheon is getting cold.
Leave your work until to-morrow," she urged.
At first he paid no heed to her words, but when
she repeated her request, he bade her go home
and not disturb him any more. "You have no
sense," he said, "with this terrible drought
we cannot grow an3^hing. There will be no
food for the children, the whole family will
die of starvation. I have resolved that this
very day I shall bring the water of the river
to my field ; then I shall think of washing and
eating." Hearing this, his wife ran home.
The farmer worked hard the whole day and
toward evening he joined the canal to the
river and sat on one side with great delight as
he saw the stream of water running into his
field. His mind was then peaceful and happy.
He went home and called his wife, saying: " Now
give me a little oil and fill my pipe," and he
washed, ate a hearty dinner and enjoyed a
sound sleep. This kind of determination and
firmness of purpose must be at the back of
strong dispass'on. Another farmer who was
trying to bring water to his field was likewise
called by his wife at the hour erf the noonday
meal. " It is getting late, come home, and wash
,„,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
and eat," she said, and at once he dropped his
spade and replied: "My dear, when you ask
me to go, I must go." So his field remained
dry. As a farmer cannot irrigate his field, so
a devotee cannot attain to God without finn
determination.
When God is attained through such strong
dispassion, all worldly attachment fades away,
A householder may then live with his family,
but he becomes unattached and there is no
more danger for him. If there be two magnets,
one very large and the other very small, which
do you suppose will attract a piece of iron?
The larger one of course. God is the greatest
magnet. Compared to Him the attraction of
the world is small and powerless.
A devotee: Bhagavan, why are we so bound
to the world that we cannot see God?
Ramakrishna: The sense of "I " in us is the
greatest oljstacle in the path of God-vision. It
^^ , covers the Truth. When'T "isdead,
all troubles cease. If by the mercy
of the Lord one realizes "I am a non-doer,"
instantly that man Incomes emancipated in
this life. This sense of " I " is like a thick cloud.
As a small cloud can hide the glorious sun, so
this cloud of "I " hides the glory of the Eternal
S'
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF ftAMAKRISHNA
Sun. If the cloud is dispersed by the mercy
of a Guni, or spiritual master, the glory of the
Infinite becomes visible. When R&ma, the
Divine Incarnation in a human form, was walk-
ing in the forest, Lakshraana (the individual
soul) , who was at a short distance, could not
see Him because Sitft or Mkyk, or the sense of
"I," was standing between. Look at me. I
cover my face with this handkerchief and you
cannot see me; still my face is there. So God
is the nearest of all, but because of the sense
of "I " you do not see Him. The soul in its
true nature is absolute Existence, Intelligence
and Bliss, but on account of M^yft or the sense
of "I," it has forgotten its real Self and has be-
come entangled in the meshes of the various
limitations of mind and body.
Each attribute limits the soul and modifies
its nature. - He who dresses smartly will natu-
rally sing love-songs, play cards and carry
a cane, and such things will appeal to him.
If you have a pencil in your hand, you will un-
consciously scribble on anything; such is the
Mangy la power of the pencil. Money has
po*m- great power. When a man becomes
wealthy his nature is entirely changed. He
is a difEerent being. A poor Brahmin, for in-
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Stance, used to come here. He was very
kumble. He lived on the other side of the
Ganges. One day as I was landing from a
boat. I saw him sitting at the riverside.
Seeing me, he shouted in a disrespectful tone,
"Hello! is it you, my good fellow?" Imme-
diately I understood by his manner that he
had got hold of some money, otherwise he would
not dare to address me thus. A toad had a
Rupee in its hole. An elephant was coming
that way and passed over the hole. The toad
was very angry; it came out and was about to
kick the elephant, saying: "How darest thou
pass over me?" Such is the power of wealth!
It makes one so egotistic.
This sense of "I," however, vanishes at the
approach of Divine wisdom, which leads to
superconsciousness (SamMhi) and eventually
to God-consciousness. But it is very difficult
Seven (tuu '■'-' ^<^Q"i'"e this Divine wisdom. It
oiiiXfitud is said in the Vedas that when the
■vt^tiMi. mind reaches the seventh stage of
spiritual evolution, the soul enters into SamMhi
and instantly its sense of " I " disappears. The
mind naturally dwells in the first three stages,
the realm of worldly tendencies and animal
propensities, and becomes attached to lust and
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
wealth. When the mind dwells in the purified
heart, spiritual light is perceived by the soul.
At that time the soul exclaims: "What is this!
What is this!" When it rises near the throat
and remains there, the devotee loves to hear
and speak of God. When the mind rises still
higher, near the space between the eyebrows,
it beholds the vision of the Infinite Being,
whose nature is absolute Existence -Intelli-
gence-Bliss. The soul then desires to touch
and embrace that Being, but fails. As a
light within a lantern can be seen but can-
not be touched from outside, so the soul
beholds the vision but cannot lay hold on it.
cannot enter into it, cannot become one
with it. In the seventh stage, however, the
mind is bereft of the sense of "I," enters into
God-consciousness and realizes its oneness with
the Infinite.
Devotee : Bhagavan, what happens after
reaching the seventh stage when Di^nne wisdom
comes? What does the man see?
Rfimakrishna: It cannot be described by
words. In the seventh stage when the mind
goes into its causa! form, Samildhi comes and
what happens then no one can tell.
This sense of "I" which makes one worldly
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
and attached to lust and wealth is the cause
of bondage. The difference between
nuui the Supreme and the individual soul
'^'"^' is created by this sense of "I"
which stands between. If you hold a stick
on the surface of a stream, the water will
appear to be divided into two parts, but in
reality the water is one. It appears as two
because'of the stick. The sense of "I" may
be compared to this stick. Remove this limit-
ing adjunct and the current will be one and
unbroken. What is this sense of "I" which
clings to man? That which says: "I am this,
I am that. I possess so much wealth. I am
great and powerful; who is greater than I?"
If a thief has stolen ten Rupees and been de-
tected, the owner takes his money first, then
beats him, then hands him over to the police
and finally puts him in jail. The worldly
TkBworidiy "I"says: "Doesn't he know that he
**'■" stole ten Rupees which- belonged
tome? How dared he?"
Devotee: Bhagavan, if we cannot get rid of
worldliness except by losing the sense of "I"
in Sam^hi, is it not better to follow the path
of wisdom which leads to SamJldhi. since in the
path of devotion the sense of "I" still remains?
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
mmaknshtia: Very few can get rid of the
sense of "I" through Samftdhi. It generally
DKAcuKiobe clings to US. We may discriminate
rid of -I." £, thousand times, but the sense of
"I" is bound to return again and again. You
may cut the branches of a fig-tree to-day, but
to-morrow j-ou will see that new twigs are
sprouting. If this sense of "I" will not leave,
then let it stay as the servant of God. "0
God! Thou art my Lord, I am Thy servant!"
Think in this way; " I am His servant, I am His
Serrui " I ' Bhakta, devotee." There is no harm
oi>Bh>hu. in this kind of "I." Sweet things
cause dyspepsia and acidity, but crystallized
sugar-candy is harmless. The path of wisdom
is very difficult. It cannot be followed so long
as the sense of "I" is connected with the body.
In this age the consciousness of the body and
the sense of "I" cannot be overcome easily.
But in the path of devotion, through prayer
and the repetition of His Holy Name with ex-
treme longing, God can be reached without fail.
Devotee: Bhagavan, dost Thou teach us to
renounce the worldly "I" and not the sense
of the servant "I"?
RSmakrishna: Yes, the servant "I" or "I
am the servant of God," "I am His devotee,"
S6
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
this egoism is not bad but on the Contrary it
helps us to realize Ciod.
Devotee: Bhagavan, does he who has the
sense o£ the servant "I" possess passion and
anger ?
RSmakrishna: If this attitude of a servant
be genuine and perfect, then passion and anger
will drop off leaving only a scar in the mind.
This "I" of a Bhakta or devotee does no harm
to any living creature. It is like a sword which,
after touching the Philosopher's Stone, is turned
to gold. The sword retains the same form but
it cannot cut or injure anyone. The dry leaves
of the cocoanut-tree drop off in the wind, leaving
a mark on the trunk; that mark proves that
there was a leaf there at one time. Similarly,
the scar of the sense of "I" remains in the
mind of one who has realized God, but his whole
nature is transformed into that of an innocent
child. The child's sense of "I" is not attached ■
to worldly objects. He may like a thing at one
moment, but the ne^ft moment he may dislike
it. ' You can take from him an object
AcbiM's-'I." , , , . .
of great value by giving him a
doll worth a penny. To a child everyone is
equal, there is none greater or smaller. There-
fore a child has no sense of caste or creed- If his
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
mother says: "He is your brother," however
low his caste may be, the child will sit with
him and eat with him without feeUng dishke or
difference of any kind.
Some Bhaktas after attaining to SamSdhi or
God -consciousness, when they return, retain
the sense of "I" as "I am His servant. I am
His devotee." They do not lose the sense of
"I" entirely but keep a small portion of it to
repeat the Holy Name of the Lord, to sing His
praises, to love and serve Him. Again, those
who constantly practise this sense of "servant
I" eventually reach the Supreme Lord. This
is the path of Bhakti or devotion. But true
Trua dovotkia devotion is very rare. True devo-
■ad love. (JQu leads to intense love for God ;
and when that intense love comes, the Divine
Being is not very far. In that intense love the
sense of woridliness is wiped out entirely and
the whole heart and soul rest xipon nothing
Kut the Lord of the universe. Some are bom
with this intense love for God; it is natural with
them. Its expression is to be found even in
their childhood. At that tender age even, they
cry for God. There are many examples of such
bom Bhaktas like Prahlada and others. Ordi-
nary devotion which is confined by scriptural
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
laws of sacrifice and worship is preparatory.
As in hot weather one fans oneself for a breath
of air so long as the breeze is not blowing, but
when the breeze springs up, the fan is no longer
needed; so when the breeze of intense love
begins to blow in the soul, all devotional exer- .
cises like repetition of the Name of the Lord,
sacrifice, prayers and asceticism become un-
necessary. Devotion without intense love is
the sign of unripe Bhakti. When it ripens, it
leads into Divine Love, which is perfect and
which brings the highest realization.
A disciple; Bhagavan, how can God be
realized ?
RSmakrishna: God can be realized by the
purified heart alone. Ordinarily the mind is
stained with ^orldliness. The mind
may be compared to a needle. 11 a
needle be covered with thick mud, it is not
OodiiniH attracted by the magnet; but when
aiMCMt. jhe jnud is washed off, the magnet
attracts it. Similarly, when the mind is covered
with the mud of worldliness, it does not feel
the attraction of the Lord; but whosoever re-
Pcnm-oi pents. saying: "0 Lord, I shall
npniteDc*. never again commit such an art,"
and sheds tears of true repentance, washes off
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
alt impurities and the magnet of the Lord
than attracts the needle of the mind. Instantly
superconscioxisness comes and is followed by
God -vision.
A man may make thousands of attempts, but
nothing can be accomplished without the mercy
The mmey oi of the Lord. Without His mercy no
tiw Lord. one can see Him. Nor is it an easy
thing to obtain His mercy. The egotistic sense,
of "I" which says: "I am the doer," must be
abandoned entirely before the Divine mercy
can be felt. So long as there is a steward in
charge of the storehouse, if any come to the
master and beg him, saying: "Master, wilt
thou not come to the storehouse and give me
this thing?" he will reply: "The steward is
there, what need have I to go?" In like
manner, so long as the ego thinks of hihiself
as the "doer" and the master of the store-
house of the heart, the Real Master does not
enter there. The mercy of the Lord is the
surest way to God-vision. He is the sun of
wisdom. A single ray of this Eternal Sun il-
lumines this world, and by that light we arecon-
Qod. the Son scious of ourselves and of one another
aiwiidoB. and -we acquire various kinds of
knowledge. If He turns that light towards His
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
own face, then He becomes visible to His Bhakta
or devotee. In the night the watchman goes
from place to place holding in his hand the
inuMratkmai lJ"U's-eye lantern. By its light he
■ taU'ccye sees everyone's face and people see
'""'^ each other, but no one can see him.
If any onewishes to see the watchman, he
must beg hira to turn the light towards himself.
Similarly, he who wishes to see the Lord must
pray to Him thus: "0 Lord, in Thy mercy do
Thou turn the light of Thy wisdom towards
Thine own face that- I may behold Thee." If
there be no light in a house, that is the sign of
extreme poverty. Therefore one must light the
lamp of wisdom within the he&rt. "O mind,
why dost thou not see the face of the Divine
Mother by lighting the lamp of wisdom in the
chamber of the soul!"
U.g.V6c.y Google
CHAPTER III
THE BHAGAVAN WITH CERTAIN OF HIS
HOUSEHOLDER DISCIPLES
One day in winter a certain householder
disciple, who was a college professor., came to
see the Bhagav^n. Sri R^makrishna was seated
on the southern veranda of His room, and He
was smiling. After a short conversation He
asked: "Do you prefer to meditate on God
aodiitonn- ^i*^ form or without form?" The
ietaand disciple hesitated and answered: "I
<rith tmn. prgfgj. to meditate upon God as the
formless Being rather than as a Being with
form." The Bhagav^n replied: "That is good.
There is no harm in looking at Him from this
or the other point of view. Yes, to think of
Him as the formless Being is quite right. But
do not go away with the idea that that alone
is true and that all else is false. Meditating
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Upon Him as a Being with form is equally right.
You, however, must hold on to your particular
conception of God until you have realized and
seen God."
The distiple asked: "Bhagavan, one may
believe that God is with form, but surely He is
■mac* not in the earthen images that are
"o'^p- worshipped?" Sil Ramakrishna re-
plied: "My dear sir, why do you say earthen
images? The image of the Divine Being is
made of the spirit." The disciple could not
understand the meaning of this, but answered:
"Yet should it not be one's duty to make clear
to those who worship images that God is not
the same as the images and that at the time ,
of worship they should think of God Himself
and not of the image made of clay?" The
Bhagavan said: "The Lord of the universe
teaches mankind. He who has made the sun
and moon, men and brutes; He who has created
things for them to live upon, parents to tend
and rear them; He who has done so many
things will surely do something to bring them
to the light. The Lord dwells in the temple
of the human body. He knows our innermost
thoughts. If there is anything wrong in image
worship, does He not know that all worship is
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
meant for Him? He will be pleased to accept
it knowing that it is for Him. Why should you
worry yourself about things which are beyond
your reach? Try to realize God and love Him.
This is your first duty.
"You speak of images made of clay. Well,
there often comes a necessity for worshipping
such images and symbols. In Ved^nta it is
said, the absolute Existence-Intelligence- Bliss
pervades the universe and manifests itself
through all forms. What harm is done by
worshipping the Absolute through images and
ssmibols? We see little girls with their dolls.
How long do they play with them? So long as
they are not married. After marriage they put
away those dolls. Similarly, one needs images
and symbols so long as God is not realized in
, His true form. It is God Himself who has pro-
vided these various forms of worship. The
Master of the universe has done all this to suit
different men in different stages of spiritual
growth and knowledge. The mother so ar-
ranges the food for her children that each one
gets what is best for him. Suppose a mother
has five children with one fish to cook for all.
She will make different, dishes of it that she may
give to each just what suits him, — the rich
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
pol&o for one, soup for another, fried fish for a
third, fish with sour tamarind for a fourth,
and so on, exactly according to the power of
digestion of each. Do you now under-
stand?"
The disciple replied: "Yes, Bhagavan, now
I do. But, Revered Sir, how can one fix one's
mind on God?"
Sri RSmakrishna: To that end one must al-
ways sing forth the Holy Name of God and talk
How to fix without ceasing of His glory and at-
oiM'smiBd tributes. Then one must seek the
*" *°* company of holy men. One must
from time to time visit the Lord's devotees or
those who have given up attachment to the
things of the world for the sake of the Lord.
It is, however, difficult to fix one's mind upon
God in the midst of worldly cares and anxieties;
hence the necessity of going into solitude now
and again with a view to meditating on Him.
In the first stage of one's spiritual Ufe one can-
not do without solitude. When plants are
Solitude young, they stand in need of fences
ii'<:*«*ry- around them for their protection;
otherwise' goats and cattle will destroy them.
The depth of the heart, the retired comer, and
the forest are the three places for meditation.
u.„...... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKHJSHNA
One should also practise discrimination. One
sbculd discriminate between the Real and the
unreal, between matter and spirit. It is thus
that one will shake off one's love for the things
of the world and attachment to sensual pleasures,
wealth, fame, power.
Turning to Bijoy, who had come in. the Bha-
gav&n continued.; Shivan^th, the leader of the
BrShmo SamSj. has great cares, he has to edit
a newspaper and do various other works In
attending to worldly affairs, one naturally loses
peace of mind and is overwhelmed with worries
AvBdhuta and anxieties. It is said in the Bh4-
and a Mis, gavat that Avadhuta * made twenty-
four Gurus. The kite was one of them. In a
certain place some fishermen were catching fish,
a kite swooped down and snatched a fish. See-
ing the kite with the fish in its claw, hundreds of
crows flew after him and began to caw, making
a great noise. In whatever direction the kite
flew, the crows followed. When he flew to the
* "Avadhuta" is a Sanskrit title which is given to one who
has become the absolute master of nature and who has
realized God. Such a great soul was DattStreya, In the
Purftnas he is called the Avadhuta. He was also the author
of the "Avadhuta Giia," a famous work on the Advaita
Vedftnta.
66
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
south, they pursued him; when he flew to the
north, they were after him, and he found no
peace in any direction. At last the kite dropped
the fish. Then the crows flew after the fish
and the kite rested calmly on the branch of a
high tree. He thought within himself: "That
fish was the cause of all this trouble. Now that
I no longer have it, I am happy and in perfect
peace." The Avadhuta learned from this Idte
that as long as a man is attached to worldly
objects, so long he has toil, cares, anxiety, unrest
and unhappiness. When attachment is gone,
all works end, and then comes peace. But work
without attachment is good; it does not bring
unrest.
It is very difficult, however, to work and re-
main unattached. A few only can accomplish
it. Those who have attained to God -conscious-
ness, like the sage NSrada, work for the good
of humanity. Avadhuta made another Guru
Avadhuta — * bee. What trouble a bee takes
■odaiM. to collect honey! But it is not for
its own use; some one else comes and takes
the honey from the comb. The Avadhirta
learned from the bee that it is not wise to
collect anything. Truly spiritual men should
depend absolutely upon God and should not
u.„.... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
desire to pos,sess anything. But this is not
possible for householders. They will have to
support their families and therefore they should
gather and possess. A fowl does not gather
into bams, but when it has a number of young
ones, then it brings food for them in its bill.
Perform all your duties with yourniind always
fixed on God. As for your parents, wife and
children, serve them as your own, but always
p,,,^^^, remember they do not belong to you,
of BOO- that they are the children of God,
.ttachneot You are also a child of God and your
own people are those who love God. The tor-
toise moves about in the water in quest of
food; where do you think her mind. is? On
the water's edge where her eggs are laid. In
the same manner you may go about in the
world, but take good care that your mind
always rests upon the hallowed feet of the
Lord.
Suppose you have not acquired true love for
the Lord? If in this state you enter the world,
then you will surely get entangled. Misfortune,
grief, misery, sorrow, suffering and the various
diseases of the body will disturb the balance
of your mind; and the more you will throw
yourself into the affairs of the world and trouble
,„,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
yourself about worldly matters, the more your
attachment to the world will be increased.
Rub your hand with oil if you desire to break
open the jackfruit, else the milky exudation of
the fruit will stick to your hands. First rub
your soul with the oil of love and devotion to
the Lord, then you may come in contact with
the affairs of the world. But to this end
Nerfoi solitude is the one thing needful. If
■outuds. you want butter, you must curdle the
milk and set it in a place where no one can
disturb it; otherwise the curd will not stand.
Then chum it and the butter will rise. Simi-
larly the neophyte should sit in solitude and
not be disturbed by worldly-minded people;
then through the churning of the settled mind
by the practice of meditation the butter of
Divine Love will be acquired. If you give your
mind to God in solitude, you will obtain the
spirit of true renunciation and absolute devo-
tion. If you give the same mind to tMb world,
it will grow worldly and think of woman and
gold.
The world may be likened to water, and the
mind to milk. Pure milk once mixed with
water cannot be separated from it; but if it is
first turned into butter qnd then placed in water,
69
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
it can remain separate. Let the milk of your
mind be turned into the butter of Divine Love
' by means of reHgious practices in solitude.
The mind then will never get mixed with the
water of worldliness, but will rise above and
remain unattached to the world. Having at-
tained true knowledge and devotion the mind
will stand apart from the world.
Along with this, practise discrimination,
"Lust and gold" are unreal; God is the one
Laitindfoid Reality. What uses has money?
unrui. ii Q^jj give one food, clothes, house,
the ■luxuries and comforts of life, but it cannot
bring spiritual perfection or God-vision. Th«re-
fore the acquisition of wealth should not be the
highest end and aim of life. In this manner
you should discriminate. Similarly by dis-
crimination you will overcome your attachment
to personal beauty. Think what the body of
a beautiful woman is made of. Like all bodies
it is of desh and blood, skin and bones, fat and
marrow, etc. The wonder is that man loses
sight of God and gives his mind purely to such
transitory objects of sense.
The disciple asked: "Bhagavan, is it possible
to see God?"
Sri Ramakrishna: Certainly. The following
,„,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
are some of the means of seeing God ; Going from
time to time into solitude; singing
forth His name and His attributes;
discrimination. *
The disciple: Bhagavan, what state of mind
leads to God- vision f
Srt R^makrishna: Cry to God with a yearning
heart and then you will see Him. People will
shed a jugful of tears for the sake of their
wife or children; they will be carried away by ■
a stream of their own tears for the sake of
money; but who sheds a tear for God? Cry
for Him, not for show, but with a longing and
yearning heart. The rosy light of the dawn
comes before the rising sun; likewise a longing
and yearning heart is the sign of God-vision that
comes after.
Extreme longing is the surest way to God-
vision. Through extreme longing the mind
remains fixed on the Supreme Being, One
should have faith like that of an innocent child
and such longing as a child has when it wants
to see its mother. There was a boy named
Jatila. He used to go to school alone through
the woods. Often he felt lonely and afraid.
He told his mother about it and she said to
him; "Why art thou fearful, my child? Thou
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
must call Krishna whenever thou art frightened."
"Who is Krishna, mother?" the boy asked.
The mother answered: "Krishna is thy
brother." After tftat when Jatila wag passing
Power of true through the woods aloue and felt
taim and inw frightened, he called aloud, "Brother
onfini. Krishna!" When no one came, he
cried again: "O Brother Krishna, where art
thou? Come to me and protect me; I am
■ frightened." Hearing the call of this faithful
child, Krishna could no longer remain away.
He appeared in the form of a young boy and
said : " Here am I, thy brother! Why art thou
frightened? Come with me, I will take thee
to school." Then having escorted him to
school, Lord Krishna said to him: "I will come
to thee whenever thou callest me; do not be
afraid." Such is the power of true faith and
true longing.
You can see God if your love for Him be as
strong as the strength of these three attachments
Howtoion puttogether: namely, the attachment
<*°^- of a miser to his wealth, that of a
mother to her new-bom child, and that of a
chaste wife to her husband.
To see God one must love Him with the whole
heart and soul. One must make one's prayera
ja
u.„.... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKEISHNA
reach the Divine Mother. Absolute self-resig-
nation to the will of the Divine Mother is the
surest way to God-vision. As the kitten resigns
itself to the will of its mother, so a devotee
shall resign himself to the will of the Divine
Mother. The kitten knows nothing more than
to cry "Mew, mew," and the mother-cat may
keep her young one on the bare floor of the
Idtchen or on the downy bed of the householder.
The kitten is always contented. Similarly the
true devotee should always cry unto the Divine
Mother and be contented with whatever She
wishes to do with him.
God-consciousness does not come so long as
there are three things in the heart, — shame,
Fatten of hatred and fear. These three and
^ "^ caste pride are the fetters of the soul.
When these fetters are broken, freedom is at-
tained. Bound by fetters is Jiva (the ego),
free from fetters is Shiva (God).
Every man has certain debts to pay, — a debt
to the Divine Spirit, a debt to the sages, debt
to mother, to father, to the wife. No man can
renounce everything without paying off these
• debts. ■ But if his soul be intoxicated with
Divine Love and become mad after God, then
he is free from all duties and debts. Then who
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
is his father, who is his mother and who is his
wife? He behaves like a madman who is free
itUdHH of from all bondage and who has ho duty
DiviM Love, ^q perform. Do yDU know what that
madness of Divine Love is? In that state one
forgets the world and becomes unconscious of
one's own body which is so dear to one. Chai-
tanya Deva possessed this madness of ecstasy.
He had neither hunger, nor thirst, nor sleep,
nor consciousness of his physical form. The
meaning of the word Chaitanya is "indivisible
and absolute intelligence." Vaishnava Charan
used to say that Chaitanya Deva, the Incarna-
tion of Divine Love, was like a bubble on the
ocean of that Absolute Intelligence.
Divine Love is the rarest thing in the world.
He who can love God as a devoted wife loves
DMnt ijm her husband, attains to Divine Love.
aadM*uq>. p^j-g i^ve is difficult to acquire. In
pure love the whole heart and soul must be
absorbed in God. Then will come ecstasy. In
ecstasy a man remains dumb with wonder.
Outward breathing stops entirely, but inward
breathing continues; as when aiming a gun,
a man remains speechless and without breath-
ing. In Divine Love one entirely forgets the
external world with all its charms and attrac-
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
ttons; even one's own body, which is so dear
to one, is easily forgotten. In ecstasy, when
the breathing stops, the whole mind remains
absolutely fixed upon the Supreme. All nerve
currents run upward with tremendous force
and the result is Samfl.dhi or God-consciousness.
Those who are mere scholars (Pandita) and have
not attained Divine Love, confound the minds
of others.
Some people are proud of their wealth, their
fame and social position, but these
things are transitory. None can take
them away after death. It is not good to be
proud of wealth. Youmaysay, "lamwealthy,"
but then there are millionaires, multimillionaires,
and so on. In the evening fireflies think that
they are lighting the world; but when the
stars begin to shine, their pride is subdued.
The stars in turn think that they are lighting
the world, but when the moon shines, the stars
are put to shame. The moon, too, believes that
her light illumines everything; butlol the dawn
appears and the rising sun effaces the light of
the moon. If wealthy people thought of these
things, they would no longer be prouS of their
wealth.
A householder: Revered Sir, we are house-
75
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKEISHNA
holders; please give us some further instruc-
tions.
Sri RSmakrishna: First know God, then per-
form the duties of a householder.
Householder; Revered Sir, is this world un-
real?
Sri RAmakrishna : So long as a man does not
reahze God, so long it is real; because at that
The world time he makes mistakes and through
unrui. self-delusion says: "Me and mine."
Being fettered by this self-delusion, he drowns
in the sea of lust and worldliness, and be-
comes so blinded by ignorance that he cannot
see the way out. You yourself can notice how
transitory the world is. Look at this house;
how many people have come and gone; how
many people have been bom and have died in
it ! Now it exists, now it does not ; it is ephem-
eral. Those whom, you call your own will vanish
when your eyes are closed. If you have no one
in the household, still you are bound and cannot
go anywhere because of some distant relative.
The way is open, but the fish cannot escape
from the net. The silkworm makes its own
cocoon, but does not know how to get out and
consequently dies in it.
A householder should take care of his children,
76
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
but at the same time he should think of them
as Baby Krishna, or as children of
boMer tbouu God. Serve your father as God, and
""■""" yourmotheras Divine Mother. After
realizing God, if a man lives with
his wife, he has no physical relation with her.
Both live like Bhaktas or true devotees. They
talk of spiritual subjects and spend their
time in, thinking of God and in caring for His
Bhaktas. They serve God who dwells in all beings.
Householder: But, Revered Sir, we do not find
any such husbands and wives.
' RAmakrishna: Yes, there are some, but they
are very rare. Worldly people do not easily
recognize them. But in order to live like this
both must be spiritual. If both enjoy Divine
Love, then such a life is possible; otherwise
there will be no harmony, but discord and
trouble between husband and wife. Perhaps
the wife will complain, saying: "Why did I
marry this man I What pleasure does he give
me? He simply sits quietly and thinks of God.
He is losing his mind."
A devotee: These are some of the obstacles;
but there may be others. The children "may be
disobedient or may be diseased. Then, Revered
Sir, what is to be done?
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GOSPEL OF RAMAEJUSHNA
R4maknshna : It is very difficult for a house-
holder to practise devotion. There are many
obstacles. You all know them very well, —
disease, sorrow, poverty, disharmoay with the
wife, disobedience and evil tendencies in the
children; bat there is a way out of it. One
should occasionally live in solitude and pray
and struggle hard to attain to God.
A householder: Revered Sir, is it necessary
to leave one's home?
Ramakrishna : Not for good; but occasionally
when you find opportunity, for a day or two,
leaving behind responsibility, care and anxiety.
But during this time you should not mix with
worldly people or think of worldly affairs.
Either live alone, or in the company of some
saint or holy man.
Householder: Revered Sir, how can we know
or recognize a saint?
R&makrishna : He is a saint whose heart, soul,
and inner nature have turned towards God;
How Is ncof he who has renounced woman and
■In ■ Mint wealth. A saint does not look at
women with the eye of desire ; if he comes near
a woman, he sees the Divine Mother in her and
wiirships her. His thoughts are always on God
and his words are of Him. He sees God every-
78
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
where and knows that by serving others, he
serves Him. These are some of the outward
signs of a saint.
Householder: Revered Sir, is it necessary to
remain long in solitude?
Ramakrishna: Until right discrimination is
acquired.
Householder: Revered Sir, what is right dis-
crimination ?
Ramakrishna: God is Truth, the worid is un-
truth; this is discrimination. Truth means that
Ritht dicumi- which is Unchangeable and perma-
ution. nent, and untruth is that which is
changeable and transitory. He who has right
discrimination knows that God alone is the
Reality: all other things are unreal. When right
discrimination comes, then rises intense desire
to know God. As long as one loves untruth,
such as the pleasures and comforts of the body,
fame, honor and wealth, so long one does not
desire to know God, the Truth. Right dis-
crimination between Truth and untruth leads
one to search after God.
Another householder devotee; Bhagavan, we
have heard that Thou hast attained to ecstasy
and God-consciousness; wilt Thou please explain
when and how such a state comes?
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKJUSHNA
R^makrishna : Ecstasy does not come to one
who has not realized God. When a fish rises
from deep water, it disturbs the sur-
face of the water, and the lai^er the
iish, the greater the disturbance. Therefore, a
person in the state of ecstasy sometimes laughs.
sometimes weeps, sometimes sings, sometimes
dances, but one cannot remain in that state of
ecstasy for a long time.
Householder devotee: Bhagavan, we have
heard that Thou hast seen God. If this be
true, please make us see Him also.
R&makrishna: Everything depends upon the
will of the Lord. What can man do? One
may repeat His Holy Name, but sometimes
tears flow and sometimes not. At the time of
meditation, one day you -may have perfect con-
centration and another day you will not be able
to fix your mind at all. Work is necessary for
It Mcef God -vision. Once I was passing by
uryfor a pool, the siu^ace of which was
QcNi-virion. covered by a thick scum; I saw a
poor man pushing the scum to one side to look
at the water. This showed me that if you wish
to see the water, you must push aside the scum.
That act of pushing is like the work which
removes all the impurities of the heart. Then
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
God is visible. Concentration, meditation, repe-
tition of the Name of the Lord, charitable works,
self-sacrifice, these works will remove the scum
of ignorance which covers the water of Divinity
in the pool of the heart.
Mahima.* who had joined the group of devo-
tees, exclaimed: Oh yes. Bhagavan, such works
are absolutely necessary. Tireless labor is
needed to attain great results. How much we
must study! Innumerable are the sciences,
Scriptures and philosophies.
R^makrishna; How much can you study?
What results can you get by mere discrimina-
tion? First try to reaHze God. Have faith in
the words of your Guru, and perform some good
work. I( you have not found a Guru, a true
spiritual master, earnestly pray to God. He
will show you what He is like. What can you
■know by reading books? Before you enter a
market-place, you can hear only a loud confused
uproar; but when you go near, all confusion
will vanish and you will distinguish what. each
• Mahima was the first name of a Bi&hmiii Zemindar and
a scholar who was known as Mahima Charan Chucfcravarti.
He lived the life of a pure and spiritual householder and
regarded R&makrishna as the greatest Hindu sage of the
8i
.y Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
one is calling. Before you reach the shore,
you hear the roar of the waves; but when you
come near, you see vessels, sea-gulls, birds, and
you can count the waves. One cannot realize
Divinity by reading books. There is a vast
Bookknowi- difference between book knowledge
edouid and realization. After realization
" ™' all books, sciences and Scriptures
seem to be like worthless straw. It is necessary
first to make acquaintance with the landlord.
Why are you so anxious to know beforehand how
many houses, how many gardens, how many
stocks and bonds he possesses? If you ask the
servants, they will not tell you; nor will they
notice you. But if you can once become ac-
quainted with the landlord, by whatever means,
you will learn about his possessions in a moment,
and the servants then will bow down to you and
honor you.
A devotee; Bhagavan, how can one make
acquaintance with the Landlord?
R&makrishna: For that, I say, work is neces-
sary. What is the use of sitting quietly and
saying, "God exists"? If you merely sit on
the shore of a lake and say: "There are fish in
this lake," will you catch any? Go and get the
things necessary for fishing, get a rod and line
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
and bait and throw some lure in the water;
Then from the deep water the fish will rise
and come nearer, and you will be able to see
and catch them. You wish me to show you
God while you sit quietly by, without making
the least effort. How unreasonable! Youwould
have me set the curds, chum the butter, and
hold it before your mouths. You ask me to
catch the fish and place it in your hands. How
unreasonable! If a man desires to see the King
in his palace, he will have to go to the palace
and pass through all the gates; but if after
entering the outermost gate he exclaims,
"Where is the King?" he will not find him.
He must go on through the seven gates, then
he will see the King.
Mahima: Bhagavan, by what kind of work
can God be attained?
RSmakrishna: There is no difference in work.
Do not think that this work will lead to God
and that will not. Everjlhing depends upon
His Grace. Whatever work you perform with
Worfcud sincerity and earnest longing will
>™*' attract His Grace and help towards
realization. Through His Grace the conditions
for realization will become perfect. These con-
ditions are association with the holy, right dis-
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
crimination of the Real from the unreal, and the
finding of the real Gum, or true spiritual master.
If your family depends upon you, perhaps your
brother will assume its responsibility for you.
Perhaps your wife will not hinder you in your
spiritual life, but will rather help you ; or perhaps
you will not marry at all and will not be attached
to the world in any way. When such condi-
tions become absolutely favorable, the realiza-
tion of God becomes easy.
Once a man's son lay at the point of death
and none could help him. Some one, however,
PamMeotoie Said; "There is but one hope. If
father Md hii you Can get the venom of a cobra
dyiniton. mixed with a few drops of rain-water
fallen under the constellation of Sivdti in a
human skull, by it your son's life will be
saved." The father looked and foimd that the
constellation of SwdU would be in the ascendant
on the morrow; so he prayed, saying: "0 Lord,
do Thou make possible all these conditions and
spare the life of my son." With extreme ear-
nestness and longing in his heart he set out on
the following evening and searched diligently
in a deserted spot for a human skull. At last
he found one under a tree and watched, praying.
Suddenly a shower came up and a few drops of
u.„..... ...Google
, GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
rain lodged in the upturned skull. He said to
himself: "Now I have the water in the skull
under the right constellation." Then he prayed
earnestly: "Grant, Lord, that the rest may also
come." In a short time he discovered a toad
not far from the skull, and he prayed again.
Then from the grass sprang a cobra to snatch
the toad, but at that moment the toad jumped
over the skull and the venom of -the cobra fell
into it. With overwhelming gratitude the
anxious father cried out: "Lord, by Thy Grace
all impossible things are possible. Now I know
that my son's life will -be saved." Therefore I
say, if you have true faith and earnest longing,
you will get everything by ti^e Grace of the Lord.
God cannot be obtained so long as the mind
is not absolutely free from all worldly attach-
ment. A true sage is one who cannot
hoard anything for himself. There
is a saying: "A fowl of the air and a
true sage do not gather stores; they do not keep
anything for the morrow." As regards myself,
I cannot keep anything even for my personal ■
needs. I cannot put away any object, even a
clove, for the future. At one time I thought of
going to Benares, but afterwards I discovered
that 1 had to carry clothes and take money with
8s
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
me, so it was impossible for me to go. (Tuming
to Mahima) But you are householders, you can
have both this and that, both the world and
the spiritual life.
Mahima: Bbagavan, "this" cannot remain .
long.
R^makrishna: When I was practising renun-
ciation, one day I went to the Ganges near the
Panckaoati and took up a handful of earth and
a handful of coins; then I began to discrimi-
nate, saying that earth and gold are one and
the same; earth is gold and gold is earth; and
after realizing the sameness, I threw both into
the river. I prayed to my Divine Mother,
saying; "0 Mother, I do not desire material
wealth or earthly prosperity, but only that
Thou dwell within my heart." When the mind
renounces attachment to lust and wealth, it
turns towards God and ultimately becomes
attached to Him. Then that which was bound
becomes free. To be turned away from God
is bondage. The mind is like the needle of a
. scale and God is the central point of balance.
When the weight of worldly attachment is in
the heart, the scale drops to one side and the
needle of the mind is deflected from the central
point or God. The heavier the weight, the
....... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
greater is. the deflection. Why does a child
cry after its birth? It thinks, as it were: "I
was enjoying Divine Communion, but now I
have lost it. Where have I come and where
is my God, where is my God?" For you (to
Mahima) the renunciation should be in the
mind only. You should remain in the world,
but unattached to it.
Mahima: Revered Sir, can the world exist
for the mind which is fixed on God ?
Ramakrishna: Of course it will exist; other-
wise where will it go? I see that wherever I
Thakintdom remain, I am in the kingdom of God.
of Ood ii Verily I say untQ you, this world is
ev.ry*i™. ^j^g kingdom of God. RSmachan-
dra, the Divine Incarnation and the Hero of
the epic R&m§.yana, said to his father that he
would renounce the world and go to a spiritual
Guru in order to attain spiritual wisdom. The
father summoned the great sage Vashishta to
reason with his son. Vashishta saw that R^ma
had intense dispassion for the world; he then
said to himt "0 Rftma, first discrintinate with
me, then renounce the world." By right dis-
crimination R&ma realized that God manifests
Himself in the form of Jiva, or the individual
soul and the world. Everything lives and exists
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
in and through His Being. Then K&ma kept
silent.
Some time ago Vaishnava Charan said that
perfect knowledge of God is attained when one
perceives Him in all human beings'. I have
now come to a stage of realization in which I
see that God is walking in every human form
and manifesting Himself alike through the sage
and the sinner, the virtuous and the vicious.
Therefore when I meet different people, I sayto
myself: " God in the form of the saint, God in
the form of the sinner, God in the form of the
unrighteous and God in the form of the right-
eous." He who ham attained to such realization
goes beyond good and evil, above virtue and
vice, and realizes that the Divine will is working
everywhere.
There was a Hindu monastery in a certain
village. The monks of the monastery went out
p»nbie of th. ^■^^T ^^y ^^^ begging bowls to
monk and the gather food. One day, a monk, pass-
° ' ing by, saw a Zemindar severely
beating a poor man. The holy man, being very
kind-hearted, entreated the Zemindar to stop
beating the man. The Zemindar, blind with
rage, immediately turned on the monk and
poured upon him the venom of his anger. He
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
beat him until he was knocked unconso'ous on
the ground. Another man, seeing his condition,
went to the monastery and told what had
happened. His brother monks ran to the spot
where the holy man was lying. They lifted
him and brought him to the monastery and laid
him in a room; but the holy man still remained
unconscious for a long time. Sorrowful and
anxious, his brothers fanned him, bathed his
face, put milk into his mouth and tried to nurse
him back to life. Gradually they brought him
back to consciousness. The holy man opened
his eyes and looked at his fellow-brethren.
One of them, desiring to know whether he could
recognize his friends, asked him in a loud voice :
"Mah^raj, dost thou recognize him who is feed-
ing thee with milk?" The holy man answered
in a feeble voice: "Brother, he who beat me is
now feeding me." And Ramakrishna added:
But one cannot realize this oneness of the Spirit
unless one has reached God -consciousness.
Live in the world like a dead leaf. As a dead
leaf is carried by the wind intO;^ house or on
the roadside and has no choice of its
own, so let the wind of Divine Will
blow you wherever it chooses. Now it has
placed you in the world, be contented, -
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Again when it will carry you to a better place,
be equally resigned. The Lord has kept you
in the world, what can you do? Resign every-
thing to Him, even your own dear self; then all
trouble will be over. You will see then that
He is doing everything; everywhere is the will
of RSma * (God). <
In a certain village there lived a weaver.
He was very spiritual; everyone trusted and
hnbbortiw toved him. The weaver went to
piMuwMw. tiig market to sell his cloth. If a
customer asked the price of it, he would say:
" By the will of R&ma the thread cost one Rupee,
by the will of RSma the labor cost four Annas,
by the will of RSma the profit is two Annas,
by the wilt of R^ma the price of the cloth as it
stands is one Rupee and six Annas." People
had such confidence in him that they would
immediately pay the price and take the cloth.
This man was a true devotee. At night after
dinner he would sit for a long time and meditate
on God and repeat His Holy Name. Once it
was late into the night; he could not sleep;
* The word RAma refers to Ihe Divine Hero describe*! in
the Hindu epic called "RftmAyanB." Il is also a name
which the Hindu Rhaktas use for the Supreme Lord of the
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
he was sitting alone in the courtyard near the
entrance, smoking. A gang of robbers was
passing that way. They wanted a carrier, and
seeing this man, they dragged him away with
them. Then tjiey broke into a house and stole
a great many things, some of which they piled
on the poor weaver's head. At this moment
the watchman came up, the robbers ran away
and the poor weaver with his load was caught.
He had to spend that night in confinement.
Next morning he was brought before the judge.
The people of the village, hearing what had
happened, came to see the weaver. They
unanimously declared: "My lord, this man has
not stolen anything." The judge then asked
the. weaver to describe what had occurred.
The weaver said : " My lord, by the will of Rama,
I was sitting in the courtyard; by the will of
R^ma it was very late in the night; I, by the
will of Rama, was meditating upon God and
repeating His Holy Name ; whai, by the wilt of
Rama.abandof robbers passed that way; by the-
will of Rima they dragged me away withthem;
by the will of RSma they broke into a house ; by
the will of RSma they piled a load on my head ;
when, by the will of R&ma, the watchman came
up and, by the will of RSma, I was caught.
gl
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Then, by the will of RSma, I was kept in prison,
and this morning the wilt of RfLma has brought
me before thee." The judge, seeing the inno-
cence and spirituality of the man. ordered him
to be released. Coming out, the weaver said to
his friends, "The will of R&mahas released me."
EverytMns Whether you live in the world or
ikpcndi oo renounce it, eveiything depends upon
oodiwin. ^jjg .^jjj Qf R4nia. Throwing your
whole responsibility upon God, do your work
in the world. If you cannot do this, what else
can you do?
If a clerk be imprisoned, when the term of
his sentence is over and he comes out, tell me,
will he pass his time in dancing for joy over his
release or resume his work as clerk? So ■^hen
the householder is liberated from the prison of
the world, 'will he spend his life in rejoicing
over his liberation? He may continue to per-
form his duties as householder, if he so desfres.
He who has attained wisdom makes no dis-
tinction between this place and that place;
to him all positions are equal. He who has
found God here has also found Him there.
When the tail of a tadpole drops off, it can live
both in water and on land. When the tail of
ignorance drops off, man becomes free. He
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA «
can then live both in God and in the world
equally well.
Those who follow monistic (Advaita) Ve-
d^nta, however, look upon this world as unreal,.
Th* world tike a dream. According to them
uka ■ drewn. Paramatman, or the Over-Soul, is the
witness of the three states of consciousness,—
waking, dream and dreamless sleep. All these
are ideas. The dream state is just as real as
the waking state. Let me tell you a story.
There was a farmer who was a monist; he
had attained to some realization. He lived like
PanUeoi any other farmer with his family,
""'r™", and he had a child. He and his
and tail only
cwid. wife had extreme love 'for this son
because he was their only child. The farmer
himself was a very spiritual man. He was
respected and loved by everyone in the village.
Once he was working in the field, when suddenly
a man brought the news of his son's severe ill-
ness. He went home, called physicians, took
great care, but could not save the child's life.
Everybody in the household was overwhelmed
with grief, but the farmer looked as if nothing
had happened. He consoled others by saying,
"What can be gained by mourning over the
child.""' The next day he went to the field as
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
usual, and after finishing his work he came
home and found his wife and the other members
of the family still weeping and wailing and
plunged in deep sorrow. The wife reproached
him, saying: "How heartless you are! you have
not shed a single tear for your only child."
The farmer then calmly replied: "Shall I tell
you why I do not weep?- Last night I had a
wonderful dream. I saw that I was a king,
and the father of eight beautiful children, and
that I was enjoying all the pleasures and com-
forts of life. Suddenly I woke up and the
dream passed away. Now I am in great con-
fusion, — ^whether I shall weep and wail for my
eight children or for this only one," The
farmer was an Advaita JnSni, therefore he
realized that the waking state was as imreal
, as the dream state, and that the one permanent
Reality was Atman. But I accept all states
as true,— the state of SamSdhi, which is the
fourth state, and again, the waking, dream and
dreamless sleep state. I accept Brahman the
Absolute and M^yi, Jiva (the individual soul)
and the world. If I do not take all, a portion
will be missing and the weight will be less,
A devotee; How could the weight be less?
R&makrishna: Brahman the Absolute is with
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRJSHNA
the individual souls and the phenomenal world.
First, when a person is discriminating by sa)'ing :
"Not this, not this," he leaves the individual
egos and the phenomenal world aside ; then after
reaching the Absolute, when he returns, he
realizes that the Absolute appears as the phe-
Tfce Atniute lomenal world. In a wood-apple
ud tin idM- there are seeds, pulp and the shell.
°*™* When I take the pulp, I leave out the
seeds and the shell; but when I speak of the
weight of the wood-apple, the weight of the
pulp alone would not be equal to it. You wiU
have to weigh the pulp, seeds, shell and every-
thing. That which has pulp has also seeds and
shell. Similarly, that wfiich is the Absolute has
also all phenomena. Therefore I take both
the Absolute Reality and the phenomenal
reality. I do not blow away the phenomenal
world by calling it a dream, because then the
weight will be less.
Mahima : This is a wonderful harmony.
Prom the Absolute to the phenomenal and
from the phenomenal to the Absolute.
Ramakrishna: Those who are Jnanis (mon-
ists) look at the world as a dream, but the realis-
tic Bhaktas take every state as real. There are
some cows who pick only certain tufts of grass
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
and give very little milk; but there are other
cows who eat all kinds of grass and give plenty
of milk. The JnSnis may be compared to the
former, and the Bhaktas to the latter. The
highest of the Bhaktas take both the Absolute
and the phenomenal; therefore when they
come down from the Absolute to the plane of
flcuint oi relativity, they continue to enjoy the
**"- Absolute through the phenomenal.
(To Mahima) You explain Om as containing
three letters, A-wm.
Mahima: Revered Sir, A-u-m means creation,
preservation and destruction.
Ramakrishna: But for me it is like the sound
d-o-n-g of a big bell, which is at first audible,
then inaudible, and ultimately melts away
into infinite space. So the phenomenal melts
away in the Absolute; the gross, subtle and
causal states lose themselves in the Great
Cause, the Absolute; the waking, dream and
dreamless sleep states become merged' in the
fourth state, Samddhi. When the bell sounds,
it creates waves like those in the ocean when
a heavy stone is thrown into it. From the
Absolute phenomena come out, from the same
Absolute, which is the great First Cause, have
also evolved the gross, subtle and causal bodies.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Prom the same Absolute, again, which is the
fourth state, come the other three states of
consciousness. The waves of the ocean are once
more dissolved in the ocean. By this illus-
tration of d-o-n-g I show that the eternal word
Om is symbolic of the evolution and involution
of phenomena from and into the Absolute.
I have seen all these things. My Divine Mother
has shown me that in the infinite ocean of the
Absolute, waves rise and again merge into it.
In that infinite spiritual space millions of planets
and worlds rise and are dissolved. I do not know
what is written in your books ; I have seen all this.
Mahima: Those who had realized, did not
write the books. They were intoxicated by
their own realization. They forgot everything,
how could they write? To write something is
to have a calculating intellect. Others having
learned from them, have written and their
writings are known as Scriptures.
Ramakrishna: Worldly people say that it is
impossible to be free from attachment to world-
when Ood Ungss. But when God is attained,
all worldly attachment vanishes.
After realizing the absolute bliss of
God-consciousness one cannot enjoy
sense -pleasures or run after fame, honor or any
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GOSPEL OF KAMAKRISHNA
worldly object. Moths after once seeing the
light do not return to the darkness. As much
as one thinks of God and meditates on Him,
by so much will one lose one's taste for worldly
pleasures. As much as one's love and devotion
for God increases, by so much will diminish
worldly desires and care for the body. Then
one will look upon every woman as mother,
upon his own wife as a spiritual helpmate;
all animal passions will disappear; Divine
spirituality will come, and non-attachment to
the world; then one will become absolutely
emancipated even in this life.
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CHAPTER IV
VISIT TO THE PANDIT VIDYASAGARA •
Sri Ramakrishna desired to meet Pandit
Iswara Chandra Vidyftsigara. One afternoon
he *as seen coming in a carriage with some of
his disciples all the way from Dakshineswara,
a distance of about six miles, to pay a visit to
the Pandit at B§,durbagan in Calcutta. As the
carriage passed before R<1ja R&mniohun Roy's f
* Pandit Iswara Chandra Vidyisigara was the greatest
Hindu scholar of his time in Calcutta. He was a true jiliilan-
thropist, a patriot, an educaCionalisI, and Ihe founder of tbe
Metropolitan Institution in Calcutta. The word VidyS.iAgara
is a Sanskrit title which he acquired on account of his vast
erudition. It means "ocean of knowledge."
t RSj4 Rflrnmohun Roy was a great Hindu reformer who
lived between 1774 and 1S33 a.d. He was the first earnest-
minded investigator of the science of comparative religion
that the world has pjoduced. He studied the Vedas in
Sanskrit and the Buddhist Scriptures in the original PAIi
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
house, the Bhagavin suddenly grew silent.
His mind was absorbed in meditation on the
Divine Mother. One of his disciples, not per-
ceiving the sudden change that had come over
him, said: "This is Rllmmohun Roy's house."
The Bhagav^n replied: "Ah! Now my mind
is not on such things"; and immediately he
entered into the ecstatic state {Bh^va).
The carriage, a short while after, drew up in
front of the Pandit's house. Sri RlLmakrishna,
alighted, supported by one of His disciples.
Before reaching the staircase which led to the
Pandit's study, which was also the drawing-
room, the BhagavSn, putting his hand on His
shirt, asked a disciple with some concern: "My
Rimikrith- shirt is unbuttoned; is it necessary
u'lcMMUke to button it?" The disciple an-
"**'™" swered: "Do not trouble Thyself,
Lord; none will find fault with Thee on that
the Koran in Arabic, the Old Testament in Hebrew and
the New Testament in Greek. He denounced the practice
of Suttee which was abolished in 1829. He established
the Hindu Unitarian Theifllic movement known as the
"Brihrno SamSj." He was the first Hindu Brfthmin of rank
and influence who visited Paris and England. After nearlj'
two yeare' stay in England Rajft RiUnmohun Roy died at
Bristol in 1833,
-, Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
account." The Bhagav4n, like a child, seemed
to be satisfied and did not think about it again.
The party was then led upstairs into a room
where the Pandit was seated in a chair facing
the south. A table after the European fashion,
with books and papers lying about on it, was
before him, and he was talking with some of his
friends. As the Bhagav4n Sri K^akrishna
entered the room, the Pandit rose to receive
Him. The Lord stood with His face to the
west and with one hand ^esti^g upon the table.
He looked upon the Pandit intently as if he
was an old acquaintance, and with a smite on
His sweet, childlike radiant face, lost all sense-
consciousness, and went into the ecstatic
Sam^hi.
After a while, taking his seat on a bench, the
Bhagav^n in his semiconscious state uttered,
"I wish some water to drink." Thereupon
Vidy4s4gara inquired of a disciple whether the
BhagavSn would also like some delicious sweet-
meats which he had just received from Burd-
w^.* Finding no objection, the Pandit went
into his inner apartments and returned with
water and the sweetmeats. He placed them
* Biirdw&n, an old city in Bengal, famous for delicious
sweetmeats.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
before the Lord. The disciples partook of the
sweetmeats, but when they were offered to one
young man, VidySsagara said: "Oh, he is a
child of the house; do not trouble about him."
The BhagavAn then said, referring to a young
man who was sitting before him: "Yes, this
young man is good. He is like the river
Falgu,* covered with dry sand, but if you dig
a little you will find a strong invisible current
underneath. He has a spiritual current inside,
although he does not show it on the outside."
Then addressing VidyasAgara he continued:
"To-day I have at last reached the ocean
Rinu- (referring to the literal meaning of
krisiHu'a kwe the word Vidy4sagara, — the ocean of
"*"• knowledge). So long I have seen
only canals, lakes, or, at most, rivers, but now
I see the ocean itself.
VidySsflgara : Then, Sir, Thou art welcome to
take some salt water from it.
Bhagav&n: No, my dear sir, why salt water?
You are not the ocean of Avidyi (ignorance),
* Falgu is the name of a sacred river near the holy city of
Gayfl in India. It was on the bank of this river that Buddha
attained to the highe.st enlightenment. Its bed U covered
with sand [ike a desert, but a strong current Qf pure wate[
flows underneath.
103
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
which leads away from God, but you are the
ocean of milk, the ocean of Vidy&, or true
knowledge leading God ward.
VidySsigara: Revered Sir, Thou niayest say
thai.
Bhagavfin: Your Karma proceeds from the
Sattwa element of nature. From it rises com-
passion. Whatever work is done for the
Oood *ofit» goo<i of others is absolutely free
andccMD|ia»- from fault. It may be called Rftja-
(lonioraU, gjka, but itis the activity of Satfwa.
There is no harm in such works. Sukadeva
and others Hke him had compassiop for all.
They worked for humanity and helped man-
kind in the path of Divinity. You are giving
free education and doing charitable works; that
is good. He who performs good works through
love, without seeking results, attains to God.
But he who works for name, fame or any other
selfish purpose remains bound. Further, I may
say that you have already become Siddha (per-
fected).
Vidy4s4gara: Sir, how is that?
Bhagav4n; You know that Siddha, or well-
boiled potato, becomes soft and tender. Have
you not become tender-hearted by your com-
passion for all ?
103
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
VidySs3.gara : But the paste of Kalai (a kind
of pulse) when boiled (Siddha) becomes harder. '
Is it not so?
Bhagav^n, laughing; Yes, but you are not
like that. Mere book-learned Pandits (scholars)
Book-karned ^^^ hard-hearted. They do good
Puditi Uka neither to themselves nor to others,
vuitnret. They are like vultures who soar high
in the sky, but always search after carrion-pits.
They may talk about Divine truths, but their
minds are attached to- woman and wealth.
Their attachment is to worldly things (AvidyS),
Compassion, Devotion (Bhakti), Dispassion
(Vair4gya) — these are the manifestations of
Vidya.
Vidyfelkgara was listening to the words - of
wisdom with whole attention, while the eyes
of other gentlemen present were fixed upon
the blissful face of R4makrishna radiant with
Divine glory.
The Bhagavftn continued: The Absolute
Brahman is beyond the reach of Vidyi {knowl-
vidy* ami edge) as well as of Avidyd (ignorance) ,
\tUyL which keeps one away from the reali-
zation of the Absolute.
The absolute Brahman is beyond the reach
of }Aky&, while Mkyk is either VidySk or Avidya.
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF EAMAKRISHNA
Vidy-a-Maya and Avidya-Maya both exist in
this world. Asthere are knowledge (Jn^na) and
Devotion (Bhakti), so also there are lust and
greed for wealth. Good and evil, virtue and
vice, are to be found in this world of relativity;
but Brahman is unaffected by them. They
exist in relation to Jiva (individual ego), but
cannot touch the Absolute Brahman.
■ Brahman may be compared to the light of a
lamp. As by the same light one may read
BraiuDui *'*® Holy Scriptures and another may
BflioDcbBd by forge a document, while the light re-
■Dod ^ nil. jj^^^g unaffected by the good and
evil deeds, so is the Absolute Brahman un-
touched by the good and evil of the world. He
is like the Sun who shines equally upon the vir-
tuous and the wicked.
If you ask, misery, sin, suffering, unhappi-
ness, — whose are these? I should answer, they
are for the Jiva. They do not affect the Brah-
man. Evil to Jiva is not evil to Brahman
any more than the venom in the fangs of a
snake is poison to the snake. Others may die
of snake-bite, but as the poison does not hiirt
the snake, so indeed is the existence of sin and
evil in relation to Jiva alone. Who can de-
scribe what the absolute Brahman is? What-
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
ever can be uttered by the mouth has become
defiled as it were, like the leavings of food.
The Revealed Scriptures, Vedas, Tantras, PurS-
nas and all Holy Books, have become defiled
as it were, like leavings of food, for they have
BniuuD lo- been uttered by human mouths.
dMcriiMbiB. Bu^ there is one thing that is never
defiled in this manner and that is the Absolute
Brahman. No one has ever succeeded in de-
scribing the Absolute by words of mouth.
Brahman is unspeakable, indescribable, un-
thinkable.
Vidyas4gara, interrupting, said to his friends:
This is a grand idea. To-day I have learned
this truth, that the Brahman is the one substance
that has never been defiled by the mouth.
Bhagav&n: Yes, that is so.
A certain father had two sons. To instruct
them in the knowledge of Brahman he sent
Pvabu oi the them to an AchSrya (preceptor).
■^'hu'hTo ^^^^^ * ^^^ years they returned home
KHu. and saluted their father. The father
was anxious to know how far they had learned
about Brahman, so he asked his eldest son:
"My dear son, you have studied all the Scrip-
tures and philosophies, tell me what is Brahman
like?" The eldest son then tried to describe
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the Absolute Brahman by quoting various pas-
sages from the Vedas. The father kept silent.
Turning to his younger son he asked the same
question. The younger son did not answer in
words, but remained motionless and communed
with the Brahman in silence. The father then
exclaimed: "My dear child, thou hast ap-
proached the realization of the Brahman. Thy
silence is a better answer than the recitation of
a hundred texts of the Vedas, for Brahman is
indescribable by words. It is indeed the Abso-
lute Silence." The knowledge of the Absolute'
Brahman is attained in the state of Samddki.
In that super conscious state Brahman is realized.
Then all thoughts cease to rise and perfect
silence prevails in the soul. Even the power
of speech remains unmanifested, How can one
describe Brahman by words of mouth? Man
thinks that he has known the Absolute Brah-
man.
An ant went to a motmt of sugar. The ant
did not realize how high was the mountain, but
ate a small particle of sugar and was
utaodth* satisfied. It carried home another
mniatof particle in its mouth. On its way it
thought: "Next time I will carry the
whole mountain." Such,alas,is the thought of
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
small minds. They think that they have known
the Absolute, not realizing that Brahman is be-
yond the reach of mind and thought. However
great the mind may be it cannot fully compre-
hend the Absolute Brahman. Sukadeva * and
other great spiritual teachers may be compared
to large ants. They could carry in their mouth
at utmost eight or ten grains from the mountain
of sugar. It is as absurd to say that Brahuuin
has been fully comprehended by a great man as
it is absurd to say that the whole mountain of
sugar was carried away by a large ant.
What the Vedas and other Scriptures have
said about the Absolute is like the description
of the ocean given by a man who saw the vast
ocean. When asked what the ocean was like,
he exclaimed in utter amazement: "Oh! what
I have seen ; how vast is the expanse ! How big
are the waves! What a thundering roar!"
Like unto this is the talk about the Absolute
Brahman. The Vedas declare that Brahman is
* Sukadeva was the son of Vyftsft, the author of the Vedanta
Sutras and many of the Purftnas. He was born with the
Brahma Jndna, or the knowledge of the Absolute. He, ia his
childhood, renounced the world with all its pleasures and
altractfons. He is regarded bythe Hindus as the Ideal Jn&ni,
or Knower of Brahman.
(08
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the CM:ean of the Absolute Existence, Intelli-
gence and Bliss. Sukadeva and other great
spiritual teachers stood on the shore of that In-
finite Ocean, saw it. and touched its waters.
Some believe that even those great souls did
not go into the Ocean, for whoever enters into
that ocean of Brahman does not return to this
mundane existence.
A doll made of salt once went to the ocean to
measure its depth. It had a desire to tell others
ParaHeota how deep was the ocean. Alas! Its
uit doll. desire was never satisfied. No sooner
had it plunged into the ocean than it melted away
and became one with the ocean. Who would
bring the news regarding the depth? Similar is
the condition of the Jiva (individual ego) who
enters into the Infinite Ocean of the Absolute
Brahman.
Some one asked : Bhagavan.is it true that the
man who has entered into Sam^dhi, or who has
acquired Brahma Jndnam, does not speak?
R4makrishna to VidySsagara; Yes, he who
has realized Brahman becomes silent, Discus-
Brahdua I* sions and argumentations exist so
■''™™' long as the realization of the Abso-
lute does not come. If you melt butter in a
pan over fire, how long does it make a noise?
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
So long as there is water in it. When the
water is evaporated it ceases to make further
noise. Again if you throw a piece of dough in
that hot clarified butter (Ghee) there will be
noise until the cake is thoroughly fried. The
soul of a seeker after Brahman may be com-
pared to fresh butter. It is mixed with the
water of egoism and worldliness. Discussions
and argumentations (VichSra) of a seeker are
like the noise caused during the process of
purification by the fire of knowledge. As the
water of egoism and worldliness is evaporated
and the soul becomes purer, all noise of debates
and discussions ceases and absolute silence
reigns in the state of Sam4dhi.
Thus realizing the Absolute Brahman in
silence, the soul comes down on the plane of
Egaim dI relativity to help others and to teach
■ Mini. mankind the highest wisdom of Brah-
man. Then he talks again and makes a noise
again, as the hot Ghee does when in contact
with a piece of dough. Such a soul retains the
sense of "I" simply to help mankind. San-
karacharya and other spiritual teachers kept
the purified sense of "I" without which all
teaching is impossible.
The bee buzzes so long as it is outside the
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKiaSHNA
lotus and does not settle down in its heart to
Sacu tMcb drink of the honey. As soon as it
hrtiwioad tastes of the honey all buzzing is at
** an end. Similarly all noise of dis-
cussion ceases when the soul of the neophyte
begins to drink the nectar of Divine Love in the
Lotus Feet of the Almighty. Sometimes, how-
ever, the bee after being intoxicated by the
honey makes a sweet humming sound. So the
God-intoxicated soul sometimes speaks for the
good of others,
A pitcher makes a noise when it is being filled
with water in a tank. But all noise stops as
soon as the pitcher is full to the brim. The
noise will be heard again if some water of the
pitcher be poured into another pitcher. (Here
water means the water of the Divine Wisdom,
and the soul of a wise man is the pitcher,)
The question now arises, how do we explain
the relation between a perfect Guru and his
Rcutioab*- disciples? The Guru must talk in
twMu Ooni order to drive away the ignorance of
uddudrh*. jjig disciples. This kind of discrim-
inati(»i, however, does no harm. The boiling
butter after it is clarified ceases to make any
noise; but if the raw cake made of flour is
thrown into it, it will produce much noise be-
., Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
cause of the water in the cake. The noise will
continue until the cake is properly fried. The
unfried cake may be compared to the disciple,
and the boiling butter to the Guru, the spiritual
teacher. The .sound of teaching is heard so
long as the disciple is not perfectly enlightened,
Sri R&maknshna continued: So long as the
individual soul has the slightest attachment to
P4t». the world of senses and desires it
attachiBMit. cannot attain to Brahma- Jnina. He
is a Jn^ni who relinquishes all worldly desires
and sense -pleasures by saying, "not this, not
this," and then realizes the Supreme Brahman
in Samadhi.
A JnHni knows that all phenomena of the
universe which are subject to evolution, whether
physical or mental, are within the realm of
Miyi; they are unreal and transitory like the
objects of vision in a dream. Therefore as one
climbs the stairway step by step until the roof
is reached, so he rises above them step by
step, saying "not this." until he reaches the Ab-
solute Brahman, which is the roof of the phe-
nomenal universe.
A Jnini goes so far as to realize that Brah-
man is the Absolute Reality and all phenomena
iwreal. A Vijnani, however, goes farther and
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
realizes more. He sees that the roof and the
steps are all made of the same substance. Few
An piunam- can Stay long on the roof (the
■Huarui. realm of the Absolute). All those
who reach this state of Sam&dhi must return to
lower planes, just as no one can sing on "Si,"
the highest note of the gamut, for a long time.
The sense of " I " drags one down. But when a
Vijn^ni returns from Samfldht to a lower plane
of consciousness and perceives the world of
relativity, he sees the Brahman everywhere, and
that the same Absolute Being appears as Jiva
and all the phenomena of the universe. He
realizes, "I am Brahman," "I am He."
There are various paths which lead to the
realization of the Absolute Brahman. The
jDina-vota P^*^ '^^ ^ Jn&ni is as good as that of
awl a Bhakta. Jn&na-Yoga is true; so
Bhirti-yo^ is Bhakti-Yoga. There is another
path of Bhakti mixed with Jnina which is
equally true. So long as the sense of "I, me,
mine" remains in the devotee, the path of
Bhakti is easier for him.
A VijnSni, however, realizes the Absolute
Brahman. as the unchangeable Reality of the
universe, firm and immutable like the Mount
Sumeru. It is beyond all activity o£ MSy4.
"3
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISMNA
He also sees that the world has evolved out o(
the three Gunas {Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas) of ,
the Prakriti or Cosmic energy.
Mayi or Prakriti consists of Vidy^ and Avid-
yh. Vidy4 is that energy which leads Godward.
It manifests itself as discrimination
(Viveka), non-attachment (Vairagya),
devotion and love of God (Bhakti, Prema).
But Avidya leads to woridliness. This energy
expresses itself as various passions, desire for
wealth and honor, ambition, work with attach-
ment, selfishness. All these Vidyft and AvidyA
forces rise from the Divine Energy of Brahman —
they cannot affect the Brahman. The Vijnani
\^]dini and realizes that the same Absolute
Biwkta. Brahman appears as the Personal
God (Iswara), that He who is beyond all attri-
butes is also the Persona! God with all attributes
and blessed qualities. The Vijnini sees that
Jiva (individual ego), phenomenal world, mind,
intellect, Bhakti, dispassion, knowledge — all
these are the glory of the supreme Personal
■Deity. If these manifestations of the Divine
Glorv did not exist, who would have worshipped
Him as the Lord of the univeree ? If a rich man
does not possess wealth and property, but be-
comes bankrupt, nobody will call him rich.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Do you not see how beautiful is this world?
How many varieties of phenomena — the Sun,
moon, stars, various kinds of animals and vege-
tables, things large and small, good and bad,
some men with great powers, others with
few.
Vidy&sSgara; Is it then true, Revered Sir,
that God has given to some greater powers
than to others? Is the Lord partial?
Bhagavin : The Lord dwells as the all-pervad-
ing Being (Vibhu) equally within all living
creatures great or small, nay, even in the
smallest ant or animalcule. The difference lies
in the manifestation of powers (Sakti) , otherwise
umty In how will it be possible for one strong
divnttf. man to defeat ten men in a hand-to-
hand fight, while a weakling will run away
from the presence of an ordinary mortal ?
If there were no difference in powers, why
should people respect and honor you? You
have no monstrosity, like two horns on the
forehead, that people will come to see you out
of curiosity. You have more compassion, more
wisdom than others, therefore people come to
see you and pay respects to you. Do you not
think so?
There is nothing in mere book-learning.
"S
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL Of ramakrishna
One should study books simply to find out
the ways by which He (the Absolute
Brahman) can be reahzed.
A holy man had a manuscript with him.
Some one asked what it contained. The saint
opened it and showed that on every page was
written the sacred formula "Oin "Rama," the
holy name of the Lord.
Take the sacred book of Bhagavad Gita.
What does it teach? If you wish to know it
repeat the name "GitS," ten times in quick
TniB niMiiinB succession — "Gi-tS., gi-ta. gi-, " etc.
ottuu. It will sound Hke "t^gi, tagi," which
has the same meaning as the Sanskrit word
"TyAgi," that is, one who has renounced
everything of the world for the sake of the
Lord. One truth which Bhagavad Gita teaches
is this: "O Jiva, giving up attachment to
objects and pleasures of the world, struggle to
realize God." The mind of a man (whether
a saint or a householder) must be free from all
attachment to the world. Then and then
alone the heart will be purified and the Abso-
lute will be reahzed.
Chaitanya Deva * (God Incartiate of Nuddea),
* chaitanya Deva, see note page 7.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
when travelling on a pilgrimage in the Deccan
(Southern India), saw in one place a man reading
aloud the texts of the GitS. At a little distance
another man, with tinrestrainable tears running
down his cheeks, was listening. Chaitanya Deva
asked him whether he understood the meaning
of the texts. The poor man replied : "My Lord,
I do not understand one word of what the
Pandit is reading." Chaitanya Deva ques-
tioned him: "Why are you weeping, then?"
The devotee answered: "I see the chariot of
Arjuna.and the Blessed Lord Krishna is speak-
ing before him. This Divine vision brings tears
of love to my eyes,"
Sri RAmakrishna continued: You may ask
why does a Vijnani prefer to have Bhakti (love
and devotion)? The answer is — Because it is
difficult for one to be free from the sense of
"I." In the state of Nirvikalpa Satnddhi* it
may vanish for the time being, but it comes back
again ; while for ordinary individuals it is almost
impossible to eliminate this sense of "I, me
and mine." However mar»y times you may cut
♦ Nirvikalpa Samildhi is de.'scrihed in (he Raja Yoga as the
h^est stale of Samftdhi in which the aoul rises above the
sense of "I" and the plane of all thoughls, ideas and emo-
tions, and reaches the realm of the AbEolute.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
off the branches of the Aswatihwa tree, so long
as the root is alive new branches will sprout;
Smm similarly you may try to get rid of
"•"'•' the sense of "I," but so long as the
root is alive it will sprout up again and again.
Even after acquiring Brabma-Jn&na the emanci-
pated soul is forced back to the plane of this
"Aham" sense of "I."
If you dream of a tiger you will tremble in
every limb and your heart will throb violently.
When you wake up you may realize that it
was a mere dream, but still your heart will go
on palpitating all the same. Similarly the
sense of "I" remains even after the realization
of the Absolute.
Thus, if the sense of "I" is the cause of all
troubles and it is impossible to be free from
it, let it stay on as "I," the servant of the
Lord.
R^ma Chandra (the God Incarnate) once
asked his great devotee HanumSn: "My son,
in what relation do you regard me?" The de-
votee replied: "When I think of myself as em-
bodied, I am Thy servant and Thou art the
Lord. When I think of myself as the Jiva (Ego)
I am Thy part and Thou art the Universal
Whole; but when I think of myself as the
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKiUsHNA
Atman, I am one with Thee. Then I realize 'I
am Thou and Thou art I.' "
If the sense of "I" clings to one so persist-
ently, let it remain like that of a true Bhakta
who thinks of himself as the servant of the
Lord. *
"I" and "mine" — these two are the signs of
Ajndnam, ignorance. My house, my wealth,
AjnArumand niy learning, my glory, all these are
JaiuBi. mine — this idea proceeds from igno-
rance of one's true Self, but^JnAnam or divine
knowledge means that state where Jiva realises:
"0 Lord, Thou art the Master of all; house,
family, children, friends, relatives, nay, what-
ever exists in the universe belongs to The^"
"Whatever is mine is Thine." "Nothing be-
longs to me" — such ideas rise from true knowl-
edge.
It is good for everyone to remember that
after death nothing of this world will remain
with us. We have come here simply to per-
form certain Karma and gain some experience.
Just as country people come to a big city like
Calcutta to do some work, so we have come to
fulfil our desires according to the tendencies
with which we were bom.
A rich man has given the charge of his beau-
tig
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
tiful garden to his Sircar (steward). When
Pwvbto of the visitors come to see the garden the
ricb Hua and SircoT waits on them attentively. He
hiisircu. allows them the beautiful parts of
the garden with luxurious fruit-trees, flower-
beds, palace-like buildings, lakes, etc., saying.
"These are, gentlemen, our mango-trees. This
is our orchard; this is our lake; how beautiful
are our flowers! Here you see is our drawing-
room with most expensive furniture, fine paint-
ings by the best actists — all these belong to us."
The same Sircar may be found fault with and
dismissed by his master at any time with per-
emptory order to leave the garden at once.
He will not be allowed sufficient time to pack
up his trunk and take his own baggage with
him. Such is the miserable plight of those who
lay claim upon things which do not in reality
belong to them.
Everything belongs to the Lord. It is ridicu-
lous for man to say, ''I am Kartfl." (the doer),
"All these things are mine."
On two occasions the Lord cannot help smil-
Thc Lord '"S- A person is taken seriously ill
waOtt OB two and is about to die. The physician
'™^™"' says to the mother of the patient :
" Mother, there is no cause for fear. I shall save
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
your son's life." The physician forgets that the
will of the Lord is at the root of every event of
life and death. The Lord then smiles, thinking:
"How foolish this man must be who boasts of
saving the life of his patient when the latter is
dying under My Wll." The Lord smiles again
when two brothers are engaged in partitioning
their estate. They take a measuring-tape and,
putting it out across the land, say: "This portion
is mine, and that is yours." The Lord smiles,
thinking: "The whole Universe belongs to Me,
but these foolish brothers say: 'This portion is
mine and that is yours,' "
"O Lord, Thou makest everything and Thou
art my nearest and dearest One. This house,
this family, these relatives, these friends of
mine, nay, this whole universe belongs to Thee,
O Lord." Such is the nature of true Jn&na
(knowledge). But "I do everything, I am the
doer. My hoiise, my family, my children, my
friends, everything belongs to me " ; all this pro-
ceeds from Ajn&na (ignorance).
A Guru was giving this instruction to his dis-
ciple: "The Lord alone is thine own and no one
Th» Lord aioiw else belongs to thee." The disciple
iithiMawn. replied: "But my mother and my
Wifei who take such good care of me, who love
w
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
me and feel extremely unhappy when they do
not see me, are also my own, are they not?"
The Guru answered : " In this you are mistaken.
I will show you that none of them truly cares
for you. Never believe for a'moment that your
mother or wife will sacrifice Tier life for your
sake. You can try and see. Go home and
feign excruciating pain and I will come and
show you." The disciple acted accordingly.
Doctors were called in, but no one could afford
relief. The mother of the patient was sorrow-
ing and sighing. The wife and children were
weeping. At this moment the Sanny4sin (Gu-
ru) appeared. "The disease is of a serious
nature," he said, "and I do not see any chance
of the patient's recovery unless some one come
forward to give his or her life for the patient."
At this all of them looked aghast. ' The Sanny-
flsin, addressing the old mother of the sick man,
said: "To live or to die will be the same thing
to you, if in your old age you lose your son who
earns for himself and for you all. If you can
give your life in exchange for his, I can save
your son. If you, as mother, cannot make this
sacrifice for him, who else in the world will care
to do it?" The old woman stammered through
her tears: "Revered father, I am ready to do
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
anything you order for the sake of my son.
But the thing is, my own life — and what is my
life in comparison to that of my son? The
thought — ^what will become of my little ones after
my death, makes me a coward. Unfortunate
that I am, these little ones are in my wayl"
While listening to this dialogue between the
Sanny^n and her mother-in-law, the wife wept
bitterly and, addressing her parents, said : " For
your sake, dear father and mother, I can-
not make the sacrifice." In this way everyone
found an excuse. Then the Sannyllsin turned
to the patient and said: "Do you see, no one
here is ready to sacrifice his life for you. Do
you understand now what I meant by saying
that there was no depending on anybody?"
When the disciple saw all this, he abandoned
his so-called home and followed the Sanny4sin,
his Guru.
Sri Ramakrishna continued; The Absolute
Brahman cannot be known by reasoning. Be
Stu-mmodtr his servant and taking refuge with
■ad prayer. Him pray to Him with earnestness
and sincerity. He will surety reveal Himself
unto you. Book-learning or intellectual dis-
cussions cannot reveal the Divinity.
Thus saying the Blessed One sang:
,,Googlc
gospel of ramakrishna
The Glory of the Divine Mother
1. Who knoweth what is Kaii (my Divine
Mother) ?
Even the Six Schools of Philosophy get not
a glimpse of Her.
2. The Yogi ever meditateth upon Her at the
Muiadhara and the Sahasrira.
As the swans, mate and female, commune
■with each other, so in this lotus {Lotus
here is a symbol of Plexus) forest doth
Kk\i commune with Her consort (Shiva).
3. Kaii, the soul of AtrnflrAma (Shiva), is as
beloved as Siti is of R&ma. The majesty
of Kaii, Shiva (Kaia) alone can know, foi--
sooth who else may know it?
4. For She giveth birth unto the universe;
think how vast She is.
She dwelleth within all things as the will
omnipotent.
5. The Psalmist (PrasSd) * singeth: "Mortals
* Prasad is the abbreviated form of the full name of the
Hindu Psalmist, RSma Prasad Sen. He was a great Yop
and a tme devotee of the Divine Motiier of the univeree.
His songs have deep spiritual meaning atvi {t&mBkdshna
WM Teiy food of them,
"4
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GOSPEL OF EAMAKRISHNA
may laugh at the thought of swimming
across the mighty ocean," and this my
mind perceiveth, but my heart enfoldeth
it not; yet it still aspireth to touch the
The Blessed One, referring to this song, said:
See how R4maprasfld describes that books and
reasoning cannot reveal the Divine Mother.
Faith is necessary.
Reason is weak. Faith is omnipotent- Rea-
TtHomnipo- Son cannot go far enough and must,
face or t«ith. stop ghoTt of the goal. Faith will
work wonders.
There was a certain Brahmin priest who served
in a household chapel. Once he went away
Tin puaMe oi leaving the charge of the service to
^'"J^ his son. He told the boy to place
hii bay. - the daily offering of food before the
Deity and see that He ate it. The boy, follow-
ing the instructions of his father, placed the
•ofEering before the image and silently waited.
But the image neither spoke nor ate. The boy
watched' for a long time. He had firm faith
that the Deity would come down from the altar,
take the seat before the offering and eat it.
Then heprayed: "0 Lord, come and eat. It is
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
getting very late; I cannot wait any longer."
But the Ix)rd did not speak. Then the boy
began to cry, saying: "Lord, my father told me
to see that Thou didst eat the offering. Why
dost Thou not come. Thou comest to my
father and eatest his offering. What have I
done that Thou dost not come to me and eat
my offering?" He cried bitterly and for a
long time. Then as he looked up at the seat,
he saw the Deity in a human form eating the
offering. When the service was ended and the
boy came out, the members of the household
said to him, "If the service is over, bring out
the offering." The boy replied: "Yes, but the
Lord has eaten everything." In amazement
they asked: "What did you say?" With abso-
lute innocence the boy repeated: "Why, the
Lord has eaten all that I offered." Then they
entered the chapel and were dumbfounded at
the sight of the empty dishes. Such is the
power of true faith and true yeamingi
Yes, faith will enable a man to cross the
mighty ocean itself without the least difficulty.
In the epic Ram4yana it is said : R&ma Chandra
(God Incarnate) worked hard to throw a bridge
over the part of the sea separating Lank4 (Cey-
lon) from the mainland of India. But as if
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
to prove the majesty, the omnipotence of faith,
He gave it to His Bhakta, the great Hanumitn,*
to jump across the ocean by the unaided power
of faith.
It is also told that once a Bhakta, a friend
of Vibhishana.t wanted to go across the sea.
Vibhishana, to whom he appealed for help, had
the name of R^ma (God) written on a leaf,
without the knowledge of his friend. He then
said to the Bhakta: "Take this and be careful ■
that you have it tied to the end of your cloth.
It will enable you to walk across the ocean in
safety. But mind, never look inside, for you
will go under the water if you open it." The
Bhakta put faith in his friend's words and
walked on the ocean in safety for some time,
but ynfortunately his curiosity became his
enemy. He wanted to see what precious thing
Vibhishana had given him that had the power
* HanumSn was a great devotee of Rftma who, by the power
of his al>3o1ute faith in the Lord, jumped acnss the ocean
from India to I>ank&. He is regarded b^ the Hindus as the
Ideal Bhakta of India.
t Vibhishana was the brother of Rftvana, the King of Lankl,
(Ceylon) who was defeated by Rftma, as described in the
Hindu epic Rftmftyana. He became a devoted disciple of
Rftma and followed His Instructions as long as he lived.
"7
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKKISHNA
of taking him unhurt over the mighty deep.
When he opened it he discovered a leaf with the
name of R^ma written on it. He thought what
a trifling thing it was; no sooner did that
thought arise in his mind than he was
drowned.
Those who belong to this class of Jivas cannot
easily have faith in God, but those who are bom
with Divine qualities possess the highest faith
naturally. When Prahl&da * tried to write
the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, "K," it
brought up before his mind the name Krishna,
and he began to cry. The natural tendency
of a Jiva is to doubt and to become sceptical.
H&zrft t will not believe in the truth that Brah-
man and Divine Mother, the Absolute and His
Energy, are one and the same. Yet, faith is
■ omnipotent. Before it all the powers of nature
shrink and give way. It carries one over seas
and mountains with perfect ease. Sin and
• Prohlada was a great Bhakla who, from his childhood,
showed his extreme faith, love and devotion tor the Supreme
Lord of the universe. He is the Ideal Bhakta among the
Hindus. His life is described in the Purftnas.
t Hlzrft was a moral householder who afterwards devoted
his life in search after God. He became an ascetic and pre-
feireij to travel abng the path of Jnina.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMASRISHNA
iniquity, woridUness and ignorance all vanish
before true faith.
The Bhagavan sang:
The Name op the Lord
I. my Divine Mother, if I die with Thy hal-
lowed name {Durg4, Durga) on my lips.
Then in the end, Giver of ail Bliss, shall it
be seen whether Thou savest Thy poor
child drowning in the ocean of sin.
a, I might have slain a cow or a BrShmin or an
unborn child!
I might be a drunkard, nay more, the slayer
of a woman !
But of all these dire sins I have not the
slightest fear.
Through faith in Thy Holy Name I can
reach the highest bliss of Brahman.
Yes, faith is at the root of all spiritual prog-
ress. Thou canst do without all other things,
only thou must have faith. Have but faith in
the Lord and thou shalt become at once free
from the vilest, the blackest, of all sins.
The one thing needed is faith and Bhakti —
love, devotion, prayerfulness, self-surrender. It
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
is exceedingly difficult, especially in this age,
for a man with his limited faculties to come to
my Mother through Vichara (discriminatoin of
the Real Brahman from the unreal phenome-
nal universe), unaided by the Divine Person.
Verily has PrasM, the "Sweet Psalmist" of
Bengal, laid stress on this difficulty in his
well-known song:
The Divine Mother and the Absolute
Brahman
1. Like a mad man, mind, what seekest thou
in the dark room ?
He (Divine Being) cometh in deep medita-
tion; without that, who can approach
Him?
2. The moon of desire still shineth in thy secret
chamber.
First bring it under control with all thy
might. It will hide itself at the dawn of
Divine wisdom.
3. Holding this as the ideal, the great Yogi
practiseth meditation for ages. When
realization cometh it attracts the soul as
a magnet draws unto itself a piece of iron.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
4, Thou shalt not find It. in the Six Schools of
Philosophy, in the Vedas, Tantras or in
the Holy Scriptures, It loveth the sweet-
ness of true devotion (Bhakti) and abideth
in the body with everlasting Bliss.
5. PrasM says; mind, shall I disclose in pub-
lic (ChdUrr) the true nature of that which
I worship as my Divine Mother? Guess
and understand it from these hints.
There was a deep silence at the close of this
song, which had been listened to with rapt
attention. Everyone was moved.
At the end of this song the Bhagavftn was
once more found to be in that indescribable
RtoiB- state of Samddhi. His sweet divine
loiiiuM't voice became still. His eyes re-
Sunuu. mained fixed and steadfast. But his
spiritual eye was feasting on the beatific Vision
of the Divine Glory ! There was left just enough
of self-consciousness to bring the soul face to
face with the Divine Mother. This blessed
Vision the Bhagavan enjoyed for a long time.
His face was radiant with celestial light and ex-*
pressed by sweet smiles the unbounded happi-
ness v/hich He was enjoying within Himself, and
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
in His semiconscious state He uttered these
words:
Bhakti, or devotion, means whole-hearted love
for the Lord. The Absolute Brahman is called
wfaatii "Divine Mother" by the Psalmist.
Biukti? PrasHd asks his mind to understand ■
it by hints; He who is described in the Vedas as
the Absolute Brahman is my Divine Mother; I
am praying to Her.
That which is the Absolute (Nirguna), im-
personal beyond all attributes, is also the same
BrnhniBO im- ^^ '^^ Personal God who is with all
attributes and blessed qualities. The
Absolute Brahman again is insepa-
rable from the Divine energy (Sakti).
The term "Brahman" refers to that aspect
of Divinity which is impersonal and which is
beyond all activity. But when we think of
Him as creating, preserving and destroying all
phenomena, then we call Him the Personal
God, Divine Mother or KkU.
In reality there is no distinction between
"Brahman," or the Impersonal Absolute, and
Brabman um "Sakti," the Divine Mother. The
Sakti are ooe. Brahman and the Sakti are one just
as fire and its burning power are one. As by
the word fire we understand its power of burn-
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAZRISHNA
ing, so by the latter we know that it is the same
as fire. By realizing the one both are realized.
They are one just as much as milk and its
whiteness are one. We cannot conceive the
milk without the whiteness.
They are one just as a gem and its brightness
are one. We cannot conceive a gem without
the brightness.
They are one just as the serpent and its sinu-
ous motion are one. We cannot conceive of the
serpent without the serpentine movements.
He who knows what ' ' light ' ' is has the knowl-
edge of darkness also. He who has the concep-
tion of the phenomenal world must have ako
some conception of the Absolute Noumenon.
He who knows the Sakti, or the Personal aspect
of the Absolute Being, knows also the Imper-
sonal Brahman. Again, he who has realized
the Absolute Noumenon has also realized the
phenomenon. He who has realized Brahman
has also realized the Personal God or Divine
Mother (Sakti).
This Divine Mother bestows the highest
TiB power of knowledge of Brahman (Brahma-
du DhriM jnina) by bringing her devotee into
""""■ the state of Samddhi. She it is who
brings him down on the plane of sense -con-
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
sciousness and allows him to retain the sense of
"I" and "me."
By the power of my Divine Mother all mor-
tals (Jiva) possess the sense of "I" and "mine."
She again reveals to the soul of one who is in
Samddki, that all living beings, nay, the whole
universe, is but the manifestation of the Divine
Energy.
It is She who makes one reach the Brahma-
jnSna, the highest knowledge of the Absolute,
and She again makes another Her beloved
devotee who surrenders himself to Her omnipo-
tent Will. This truth is the great secret of all
secrets. Therefore the Psalmist says: "Shall
I disclose it in the Chdtor?"
Yidykskgata asked his friend who was sitting
near by: "Do you understand the meaning of
Ck&tor't" The friend replied: "I know that
'Ckattara' means a courtyard within a house."
VidyJtsagara : Exactly. It may also mean a
public market-place. So R&ma Prasad does
not want to make this secret -known to the
public.
BhagavSn with his smiling face spoke to
Vidyasagara: "Oh, you are a Pandit, a great
scholar, you must know all this." When I sing
the praise of my Divine Mother I refer to the
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
same Absolute Brahman. The term "Mother"
is very sweet. Therefore I like to call Him
" Mother." We must learn to love the Personal
God (Iswara). Through love He can be easily
attained. Love, devotion and faith are the
most valuable. Listen to another song. The
Bhagavin sang again :
Love por the Divine Mother
1. Ecstasy dawneth when I meditate upon my
Divine Mother.
As is the ardor of thought so is the attain-
ment; but the root must be perfect faith.
2. If the mind diveth into the sea of Bliss at
the feet of my Mother, then is there no
further need of worship, rituals, sacrifice
or repetition of the Lord's name.
5. The devotee of the Divine Mother is free
even in this life and doth enjoy everlasting
Bliss.
He who can dive into the sea of Bliss becomes
immortal. The Lord is described in the Vedas
The Lord the ^^ ^^^ Ocean of Immortal Bliss.
OcuBoT Whosoever enters into it becomes
i«.»>rttutr. fj.gg fj.Qj^ death. Some people have
a wrong idea that too much meditation upon
'35
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKEISHNA
the Absolute will unbalance the mind. No one
becomes unbalanced by meditating upon the
Absolute.
Devotional exercises, rituals, ceremonials,
sacrifices or the pouring of oblations into the
sacred fire— such works are needless when true
love for the Lord cdmes in the heart of the
devotee. A fan is needed so long as there is no
breeze. So when the breeze of Divine Love
blows all ritualistic works become unnecessary.
Referring to Vidyisfl,gara the BhagavSji con-
tinued: The works which you are doing are
s«i(kn works ^ood works. If you can perform
parity flw them without seeking their result
'*"•' and without thinking that you are
the "doer," then it will be still better. The
highest result of works done in this selfless man-
ner is the attainment of true love for God-.
Such works purify the heart and bring God-
consciousness in the end. But as your love for
the Lord becomes more and more intense, your
religious works will become less and less. A
married woman diligently performs the house-
hold duties, but she is not allowed to do any
heavy work when she is about to give birth to
her child. You are doing charitable works and
other works for the good of hiunanity. In
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
reality, however, they are of great help to your-
self. They will purify your heart and bring
unselfish love for God. Man has no power to
' Doio(i«Hi do good to the world; the Lord
to tba world. (Jq^i, everything. He who hath made
the Sun and the moon. He who hath given
affection in the hearts of parents, He who hath
bestowed compassion upon the great souls. He
who hath brought imselfish love and devotion
in the hearts of saints and sages, doth every-
thing for the good of His world; who else hath
the power to perform any good act? Whoso-
ever performeth good works without holding
any desire for their fruits will do good for him-
self.
There is gold inside, under the cover of earth.
You have not discovered it yet. If you once
realize this secret treasure your worldly duties
will vanish and you will not care for other
works, just as a mother loves nothing better
than to fondle and kiss her new-bom baby.
Go onward and do not stop in one place. Re-
member the parable* of the wood-cutter and
stop not until the goal is reached. The goal is
the realization of God, By His grace His true
• See page 243.
137
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
devotee can see Him and can talk with Him
just as I am talking with you.
Absolute silence prevailed when the Blessed
Lord spoke these words with fire and eloquence.
Everyone's heart was moved by that divine
love which was flowing with mighty force with-
in the soul of Bhagav^ Sii R&makrishna.
With a smiling face the Bhagavan said:
You know all that I have told, but you do not
realize how much you possess, in the same man-
ner as Varuna, the Lord of the ocean, does not
care to know how many beautiful and valuable
jewels there are in His boundless treasury of the
deep,
VidySsagara : Revered Sir, Thou canst say so.
Bhagavan: Yes; do you not know that very
often a millionaire Bibu does not know even
the names of his own attendants? He does not
remember in what places his valuable things are
kept.
Everyone was listening to this interesting
conversation when Bhagavin suddenly asked
VidyasSgara: "Will you not come to the Tem-
ple garden? It is a beautiful place."
Vidyas^gara: O yes; certainly. Thou hast
been so kind aS to come to me, shall I not return
my visit to Thee?
138
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Bhagavan: A visit to me! Oh, for shame!
for shame!
VidySs&gara : My dear Sir, this from Thee!
I wish to know why dost Thou say so?
Bhagav^: Well, we are like fishing-boats.
Hamiiity of Small and light enough to row about
Rtnukriihu. qjj ponds, narrow canals or even on
large rivers, but you are like a big steamer. Who
can tell ? — you might founder on the sand-bank if
you venture too far up the stream ; but now at this
season steamers may go up without much danger.
Vidy&sigara: Oh I see; this is the rainy
At about eight in the evening it was announced
that the carriage was ready to take Srt Rama-
krishna back to the Thakurb^di at Dakshines-
wara. The BhagavS,n became absent-minded for
a while; perhaps His mind was fixed upon the
Divine Mother, or perhaps He was asking Her
blessing upon His kind host. The BhagavSn
then rose to bid him farewell and Vidy^sigara,
with a lighted candle in his hand, led the way
down-stairs and through the compound of his
house to the gate. Outside the gate a carriage
was waiting to receive the honored guest and
His devoted companions from the Thikurb^di.
An unexpected sight greeted the eyes of the
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
party as they came but. It was a man who
might have been a little under forty standing
before the gate with folded hands. He was
dressed in white and wore a white turban on
his head. He had a fair complexion and ex-
pressive eyes and a smile was on his face. No
sooner did he see the BhagavSn than he fell at
His feet with his head touching the ground.
The Bhagavan said: Is it you, Balardm?
How is it that I find you here?
Balar&m * replied, smiling: O Revered Sir,
I have been waiting for some time here at the
gate to see Thee.
Bhagavan: Why did you not come in?
BalarAm: I came late, so I would not inter-
rupt Thee, but thought it better to stay here.
The Bhagavin then stepped into the carriage
with His companions.
VidySsftgara asked a disciple: Shall I see the
carriage hire paid ?
The disciple replied: No, Sir, you need not
* BalarSm Basu was a Hindu Zemindar in Calcutta. He
was a true householder dix:{ple of RSmakrishna. His house
was blessed many a time by a visit of Raniakrishna and His
beloved disciples. His whole family regard Rlmakrishna
as the Divine Incarnation in a human form. See Chapter
XII.
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKJUSHNA
trouble yourself. It has already been paid by
a friend.
The Pandit then folded his hands and bent his
head and body to make his Pranama (Saiuta-
RinukriduiB t'^^^) ^o the Bhagavan. All assembled
leavM vuyi- about the carriage did the same.
"*'^' The little group at the gate, with the
venerable VidySs^gara at their head still hold-
ing the hghted candle in his hand, stood for a
while looking in the direction of the carriage,
wondering who this God-intoxicated Man might
be, so wise yet so child-like, so full of joy, so
sweet, so godly! Verily a Light come down to
set ablaze the dry bones of a workaday world !
Embodied Love, Uke the dew of heaven falling
on the dry thirsty heart of man ! A Voice cry-
ing unto sunken, self-weary man, "Thou must
be bom again and love!" A Healer from
another clime of this strange disease of modem
life! A Man among men, eager to solve for
them the enigma of the v
141
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CHAPTER V
It was the day of the festival of Lakshmi.f
Srt Rimakrishna was seated in His room talking
with Bijoy aud Haralal, when a gentleman
entered and announced that Keshab Sen had
* Kesh&b Chunder Sen was the third great BriUimo Samftj
leader after Rftja R&mniabun Roy. He was born in 1H38
and died in 18S4 A.D.
In iSi;8 he became a member of the Adi Brihmo Samftj.
In 1866 he founded a new branch under the nnme of BhArata-
varshiya Brfihmo SamSj, which was afterwards known as
the church of the "New Dispensatbn."
In 1S70 he came to England to propagate his mission.
He was an eloquent preacher and orator. He accepted a
great many of the teachings ^f Rftmakrishna and regarded
Him us one who had constant conununion with Brahman.
t Laksbmi, Ihe goddess of fortune and prosperity.
14a
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
come on board a steamer which had jtist landed
and was lying at anchor before the Ghat. A
short while after Keshab's disciples came in
and bowed down before the BhagavSn, saying:
" Keshab Bibu has sent us to Thee with the
Rimikriihna Tcquest that Thou wilt kindly join
soMODbowd him, if it so please Thy Holiness."
tbc iteamar. g^^ Ramakrishna consented and,
accompanied by several of His devotees,
was taken by Keshab's disciples to the
As the small boat which carried the Bhagav&n
came alongside, everybody was eager to have a
glimpse of the Blessed One and crowded to the
gangway. Keshab was anxious to see that
He got on board in safety. Mahendra,* who
had been there for some time, looked at Him
Rimakrisb- ^nd noticed that He was in Sam&dhi
u'l ecitaiy. and as motionless as a statue. It
was with great difficulty that He was brought
back to sense-consciousness once more in order
to be taken into the cabin on the upper deck.
The state of Divine ecstasy had not entirely
left Him even then. He leaned on a disciple
as He was led to the cabin. His body moved
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
mechanically, but His mind was fixed on God.
When He had entered the cabin, Keshab and
others bowed at His feet. But what little sense-
consciousness remained now began to leave
Him. Inside the cabin were a bench, a table
and a few chairs. The Bhagav&n was seated
on one of the chairs; Keshab also took a chair
and Bijoy, another. Other devotees, most of
them Brahmos, sat on the bare floor. The
cabin being a small one, many remained
standing at the door or at the windows look-
ing in eagerly. The Bhagav^ was abso-
lutely devoid of outer consciousness. Every-
body was watching His face. Keshab noticed
that so large a number of people had come
together in the cabin that the BhagavSn was
in need of air. The devotees all gazed with
fixed eyes. After a time the Bhagav^n came
down from His Sam&dhi, but the consciousness
of the Divine Presence was, as intense as before.
He talked to the Mother of the universe in
words that were scarcely articulate, saying:
"O Mother, why hast Thou brought me here?
They are hedged around and are not free! Is
it indeed possible for me to save them out of
their prison house?"
A Br&hmo said to the Bhagav^n: Sir, these
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
gentlemen have been fortunate enough to See
pmuti Biu Powh^ BSb& * at G^zipur. The
oKUiipar. g^bi IS another boly man like Thy
revered self,
Sri RSmakrishna had not yet recovered the
power of speech. His heart wa" full and He
could not speak, but only smiled on the good
man who talked of the Bkhk. The Br^hmo
continued : Sir. Powhari Bibi has Thy photo-
graph, which he has put up in his room.
The Bhagavan smiled again, pointing to His
body with His finger and in a subdued tone said :
^^^, A pillow-case! It is nothing but a
htuttkt pillow-case. But there is one thing
'hTL^rd' ^° ^ borne in mind : the heart of the
devotee is the temple of the Lord.
It is indeed a fact that the Lord is more or
less manifest in all things, but He is manifest
in a special sense in the heart of a devotee
(Bhakta). Thus a Zemindar may be met at
any of the houses of which he is the owner;
* PowhOri Bftbft was a great Vaishnava Saint who lived
for many yeais in an underground cave near Gftzlpur. The
name "Powhlri," which literally means "one who lives
an air," was given to him because he could live for months
without eating or drinking anything. He was regarded by
«U as the greatest Vaishnava Saint ol the age.
'45
L;.„.....,CoOglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
yet people will say that he is usually to be seen
in some particular drawing-room. The heart
of the devotee is the Lord's drawing-room.
If one wishes to meet the Lord, one would
better seek an audience in the drawing-room.
The same Being whom the followers of non-
dualistic (Advaita) Ved^ta call Brahman, the
VutoBiu- Absolute, is called Atman (Self) by
pKtiottiw the Yogis, and BhagavSn, or the Per-
sonal God with Divine attributes,
by the devotees, or Bhaktas (lovers of God).
The high-caste Br^min is always the same
person; but when he worships the Lord, he is
called a priest; and when the same man is em-
ployed in the kitchen, he is called a cook.
The follower of monistic (Advaita) Ved&nta,
who seeks to realize the Absolute Brahman, dis-
Diicrimina- Criminates, saying: "Not this, not
uonoiiia this." That is, the Absolute is not
* "■ this, not that, not any finite object,
not the individual soul, not the external world.
When, as the result of this Idnd of reasoning, the
heart ceases to be moved by desires; when, in
fact, the mind is merged in superconsciousness,
then Br&hma-jntlna is reached. One who has
truly attained to this Brahma-jn^na realizes
that Brahman the Absolute alone is real, and the
.46
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRlSHNA
world is unreal, and that all names and forms
are like dreams. What Brahman is cannot be
described by word of mouth nor can one even
say that He is personal. Such is the point of
view of a non-dualist.
The dualistic devotees and lovers of the
Personal God (Bhalftas),on the contrary, accept
Biwkia'i ^1 states as real. Unlike the non-
■tiiMde. dualists, they look upon the waking
state as a reality and they do not hold that the
external world is like a dream. They say that
the external world is the glory of the Lord.
The heavens, stars, moon, mountains, ocean,
men, birds and beasts, all these He has created.
He manifests His glory by these. He is both
within and without. He dwells in our hearts.
The most advanced Bhaktas say that the Lord
Himself manifests as the twenty-four categories
of the Sankhya philosophy, that He appears as
the individual soul and the external world. A
Bhakta wishes to enjoy communion with his
Lord and not to become one with Him, His
desire is not to become sugar, but to taste of
Ti- imermort it. Do you know what are the
leeUon oi m innermost thoughts and feelings
ir»Bh.ku. pf ^ jj^g devotee? He says: "0
Lord! Thou art the Master, I am Thy servant.
...Google
GOSPEL OF KAMAKRISHNA
Thou art my Mother, and I am Thy child";
or again: "Thou art my Child and I am Thy
father or Thy mother " ; or thus : ' ' Thou art the
Whole and I am Thy part." The duaUstic
devotee does not wish to say, "I am Brahman.'!
A R&ja Yogi also seeks to realize the Universal
Being. His object is to bring the finite human
soul into communion with the infinite
Spirit. He tries first to collect his
mind which is scattered in the world of senses,
and then seeks to fix it on the Universal Spirit;
hence the necessity of meditating on Him in
solitude and in a posture which causes no
distraction.
But all these various ideals are of one and
the same Brahman, the difference being only
nrhnni u- in the names. It is the same Being
pKt. of ood. whom men call by the name of the
Absolute (Brahman), the Universal Spirit,
the Impersonal God, or the Personal God with
Divine attributes.
The steamer had already started and was on
its way to Calcutta. Many there were who
looked on Sri RfLmakrishna with eyes that did
not move, and who drank the nectar of the words
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GOSPEL OF RAMAEJUSHNA
that dropped from His hallowed lips. They did
not perceive that the steamer was in motion.
The Temple garden of Kali had faded from
sight. Beneath were the sacred waters which
reflected the blue firmament above, but the
murmur of the waves fell unheeded on the ears
of the devotees. The magic of the blessed
vision had thrown a charm over them. They
beheld before them a wonderful Being, a God-
in-Man and a Man-in-God. with smiles playing
on His sweet face, radiant with the joy of the
Lord, and with eyes enhanced in beauty by the
collyriura of Divine Love. They gazed as if
spell-bound, on One who had given up the
world and its pleasures, on One intoxicated
with the Love of the Lord and who looked not
for anything except the Lord.
Sri RSmakrishna: The followers of Advaita
Vedanta maintain that creation, preservation.
The world u and dissolution, the individual ego,
■ dreun. ^jig extemal world, all these are mani-
festations of the Eternal Energy (Sakti). They
also say that when these are properly analyzed,
they appear as dreams, that the Absolute Brah-
man alone is the Reality, and all else is unreal.
Even eternal Energy (Sakti) is like a dream,
unreal; but you may analyze and discriminate
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAXRISHNA
thousands of times, you cannot transcend the
reahn of Divine Energy (Sakti) unless you have
reached the highest state of Sam4dhi, super-
rut rMim of consciousness. The very thoughts
thtDiviM hke: "I am meditating," "I am
Bmra. thinking on the Absolute," are within
the reahn of Sakti. They are the manifested
powers of that Eternal Energy. Therefore the
Absolute Brahman and the Eternal Energy are
inseparable and one. The existence of one im-
plies that of the other, as fire and its burning
power. If you admit the existence of (ire, how ■
can you deny its burning power.' No one can
think of fire without thinking of its
imMBraii- burning power. Again, the power
ra*n and gf burning cannot be conceived as
separate from fire. In the same
manner, we cannot think of the rays of the sun,
without thinking of the sun himself. Again,
we cannot think of the sun without thinking of
his rays. Therefore, no one can think of Brah-
man as apart from Sakti, or Sakti as separate
from Brahman. Likewise, no one can conceive
of the phenomenal as independent of the Abso-
lute, or of the Absolute as apart from the phe-
nomenal. The same Eternal Energy, the Mother
of all phenomena, is creating, preserving, and
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
destroying everything. She is called K41i, the
Divine Mother. Kali is Brahman, Brahman is
Kaii, one and the same Being. I call Him
Brahman when He is absolutely inactive; that
is, when He neither creates, nor preserves, nor
destroys phenomena; but when He performs all
such actions, I call Him Kkli, the Eternal En-
ergy, the Divine Mother, They are one and the
same Being, the difference is in name and form,
just as the same substance water is called by
different names in different languages, such as
jal, aqua, pSni, etc. Yes, the Being is the same,
Oae Ood hu Only the names are different under
many oame^ different aspccts — like the same sub-
stance expressed ig different languages, such as
jal, water and p4ni. A tank may have four
Ghats 0anding-p!aces with steps). The Hindus
drink at one Ghat and call it jal ; the Moham-
medans drink at another and call it pani; while
the English who drink at a third call it water.
Similarly, God is One, only His names are
different. Some call Him by the name of
Allah, some God, some Brahman, others
Kaii, others again Rama, Hari, Jesus,
Buddha.
'Keshab, smiling: Please tell us once more,
Revered Sir, in what different ways Kaii, the
'SI
u.„..... ...Google
[GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Mother of the Universe, is making Herself mani-
fest in this world of Her sports,
Sri RAmakrishna, smiling: Oh, the Mother
sports with the world. Her toy, under various
_ aspects and names. Now She is the
TbB MoUht
of (ha God Unconditioned, Absolute, Form-
aniTNw »o4 iggg (Mah4-Kaii) : now the Everlast-
ing as distinguished from Her works
(Nitya-Kaii). Under another aspect She is the
Goddess of burning GhSts or crematories, the
dreaded Being who presides over death (SmasAn-
KSli) ; now again does She stand before us ready
to bless, to preserve Her children (Rakshy4-
KaH); under another aspect She appears pleasing
to the eye of Her devotees »s the Mother with
the dark blue color, Consort of the God of Eter-
nity and Infinity. MahS-Kaii and Nitya-Kaii
are described in the sacred books, the Tantras :
"When nothing was — neither sun, nor moon,
nor planets, nothing but Darkness Deep, there
was alone my Divine Mother, Formless, the
Eternal Consort of the Infinite." As Mother
with the dark blue color (SyftmS), She is tender
and loving. She is the bestower of all blessings
and makes Her children fearless; She is wor-
shipped in the Hindu household. As Preserver
She appears in times of plague, famine, earth-
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
quake, drought or flood. At cemeteries, burn-
ing Gh^ts or crematories She appears in the
form of the Destroyer. The dead body, the
jackal, the spirits of destruction are Her terrible
companions. She lives in the midst of those
horrible scenes, of those fearful environments.
Streams of blood, a garland of skulls thrown
round Her neck, a girdle made of the hands
of those that are dead, are the symbols that
mark Her as the dread Mother, as the All-
Destroyer.
Now look at Her mode of creation. At the
end of a cycle, upon the destruction of the
CfMtion oi world, my Mother, good Matron that
thcwocU. She is, puts together the seeds of
creation. The mistress of a house has a hodge-
podge pot of her own in which to keep sundry
things for household use. (RSmakrishna, smil-
ing) Yes, my friends, that is indeed so. The
mistress of a house has such a pot in her posses-
sion. In it are kept the "sea-foam" in a solid
state, small parcels containing seeds of the
cucumber, gourd, and so on. She brings them
out when wanted. In much the same way my
Mother keeps the seeds of creation after the
destruction of the world at the end of a
cycle.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
My Mother, the Primal Divine Energy, is both
, within and without this phenomenal
world. Having given birth to the
world, She lives within it. In the Vedas we find
oiwiw Mother, the illustration of a spider and its
[tain.ieri.1 ^g^ gjjg jg ^^g Spider and the
iniiruaNnuii world is the web that She has woven.
*■"*•■ The spider brings the phenomenal
web out of herself and then lives on it. My
Mother is both the Container and the Contained.
Is Kaii, the Divine Mother, black? She looks
black from a distance, but when realized. She
KUi. why is not black. The sky looks blue
Mack? from a distance, but look at it near
you, it has no color. The water of the ocean
is blue from a distance. Take a little up in
the hand, and it has no color.
Saying this, the Bhagav&n became intoxicated
with Divine Love, and began to sing:
"Is my Divine Mother black?
mind! What dost thou say?
Though black, She with Her flowing hair
Illumines the lotus of the heart."
Bondage and freedom, of both She is the
maker. Through Her inscrutable power of
U.y.....,C00glc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
May^ a man of the world becomes bound by
Thspowcrof woman and gold. Again, through Her
the DiviBc grace he becomes free. She breaks
MoUur. ^j fgj.^gj.g ^nj takes Her children
across the ocean of the world ; and the Bhagav^n
sang in His divine voice:
The Divine Mother and the Liberated Soul
I, Mother, Thou art flying the paper kite (of
the human being) in the market-place of
this world.
It flies on the wind of hope, tied to the string
of Maya.
3. Ribs, nerves and bones make up its frame,
Of Thine own qualities hast Thou made the
Kite, to display Thine art.
3. Thou hast rubbed the string with the Manja
(paste with powdered glass) of worldli-
ness, and it has become sharp.
Among hundred thousand Kites one or two
have their strings cut, and are freed;
Then with a laugh Thou clappest Thy hands.
4. Prasad says. The Kite thus set free will fly
swiftly on fair winds and drop beyond the
ocean of this world.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Sri RAmakrishna continuing: My Divine
Mother is playful. The world indeed is Her
Diviiu sport. She does what She will and
ModHir'i is blissful. It is Her pleasure to give
freedom to one among a hundred
thousand of Her children,
A Brahmo: Sir, She can, if She pleases, set
every body free. Why is it then that She has
bound us hand and foot with the chains of the
world ?
Sri RfUnakrishna : Well, I suppose it is Her
will. Her will is to play with all these things.
In the game of Hide -and -Seek, whoever touches
the Grand-dame is out. He no longer runs
about. If all the players touch the Grand-
dame at the same time, how can there be any
game? The Grand-dame would not like it;
for she is pleased to have the play go on.
And the Bhagav4n, placing Himself in the
position of a man of the world laying the
trouble of his heart before the Mother,
sang:
Thb Divine Mother and Her Children
I. This is the grief for which I grieve.
When Thou, Mother, art here, thieves
(passions) rob me though I am wide awake-
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GOSPEL OF RAMAK.RISHNA
2. 1 promise to repeat Thy Holy Name, but at
the proper hour I forget.
Now I have learnt and felt that all this is
Thy trick.
3. Thou hast not given, so Thou hast not re-
ceived aught to eat or to keep. Am I to
be blamed for this?
Hadst Thou given, Thou wouldst surely
have received; and I would have offered
Thy gifts to Thee.
4. Fame or calumny, sweet or bitter — all is
Thine.
O Ruler of all feelings, abiding in them, why
dost Thou hinder when I enjoy sweet
ecstasy?
5 Prasad says: Thou hast given me a mind,
but by a glance of Thine eye Thou hast so
bent it, that I roam through this world,
Thy creation, seeking joy but mistaking
bitter for sweet (unreal for Real).
Man has forgotten his true Self and has be-
Dciniiv* come worldly by the delusive power
power oi of M^y4. Therefore Prasid says:
- * "Thou hast given me a mind, 'but by
a glance of Thine eye Thou hast so bent it that
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
I roam through this world, Thy creation, seek-
ing joy but mistakiiig bitter for sweet."
A Br^hmo: Revered Sir, is it true that God
cannot be realized without giving up the
world ?
The Bhagavan, sniilingr Oh no! You do not
have to give up everything. You are better off
where you are. By living in the
■ world you are enjoying the taste
lorau. both of the pure crystallized sugar
and of the molasses with all its impurities.
You are indeed better off. Verily I say unto
you, you are Hving in the world, there is no.
harm in that; but you will have to fix your
mind on God, otherwise you cannot realize
Him. Work with one hand and hold the Feet
of the Lord with the other. When you have
, finished your work, fold His feet to your heart
with both your hands.
Everything is in the mind. Bondage and
freedom are in the mind. You can dye the
Power of tbc mind With any color you wish. It is
"""■■ like a piece of clean white finen;
dip it in red and it will be red, in blue it will
be blue, in green it will be green, or any other
color. Do you not see that if you study English,
English words will come readily to you ? Again,
'58
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
if a Pandit studies Sanskrit, he will readily
quote verses from Sacred Books. If you keep
your miud in evil company, your thoughts,
ideas and words will be colored with evil; but
keep in the company of Bhaktas, then your
thoughts, ideas and words will be of God.
The mind is everything. On one side is the wife,
on the other side is the child; it lov^ the wife
in one way and the child in another way, yet
the mind is the same.
By the mind one is bound; by the mind one
is freed. If I think I am absolutely free, whether
I live in the world or in the forest, where is my
bondage? I am the child of God, the son of
the King of kings; who can bind me? When
bitten by a snake, if you assert with firmness,
"There is no venom in me," you will be cured.
In the same way, he who asserts with strong
conviction "I am not botmd, I am free," be-
comes free.
Some one gave me a book of the Christians.
I asked him to read it to me. In it there was
only one theme — sin and sin, from the
beginning to the end. (To Keshab)
In your BrAhmo-Sam^j the main topic is also
sin. The fool who repeats again and again, "I
am bound. I am bound," remains in bondage.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
He who repeats day and night. "I am a
sinner, I am a sinner," becomes a sinner
indeed.
It is necessary to have absolute faith in the
Name of the I^rd. "What! I have uttered
Savtnc ^'® Holy Name, can there still be sin
i«w«rai in me? Can I still be in bondage?"
Oodiudw. Kjigto Kishore was a pious Hindu,
a Brahmin of Br4hmins, who worshipped the
Lord with single-minded devotion. He went to
Vrindavan. One day, while visiting the shrines,
he felt very thirsty. He went to a well, and
finding a ma;i standing there, he asked him:
"My man, can you draw some water for me?"
The man replied: "O holy sir, I belong to a
low class, that of a cobbler." Kristo Kishore
thereupon said to him: "It matters not. You
say 'Shiva' (the Holy Name of the Lord) and
draw the water for me."
By repeating the blessed Name of God, man's
body, mind and soul become absolutely pure.
Why talk of sin and hell-fire? Repeat but once,
"I shall never again do the evil deeds that I
have committed in the past," and by thy faith
in His Hallowed Name thou shalt be freed from
all sins.
I used to pray to my Divine Mother for true
i6o
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
devotion (Bhakti). alone. With flowers in my
Pranrto clasped hands, I prayed: "Do Thou,
iheDiviDa Mother, grant that I may have
"'' ' pure and unalloyed devotion. Here
is sin, here again is virtue; I lay them at Thy
feet ; Oh take them both. Here is knowledge (of
many things), here again is ignorance; Oh take
them both and grant that I may have devotion
alone. Here is purity and here again is im-
purity ; I desire neither of them. Here are good
works, here are bad; both I lay at Thy feet;
Oh grant that 1 may have devotion alone and
love for Thee."
One living in the world may also see God. It
was the case with RAjS. Janaka, the great royal
Enmpiaoi devotee, who realized while on the
Juuka. throne that the world was a structure
of dreams. For a lover of God, however, such
is not the feeling. And the Bhagavfln sang:
He who has attained to Bhakti or true de-
votion to the Lord says :
"This world is the abode of happiness;
I eat, drink and enjoy its pleasures.
Janaka Kkjk was a great potentate;
In what was he lacking?
He harmonized God and the world
And tasted the joys of both."
i6i
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
No one can suddenly become like Janaka.
R.k}tL Janaka performed great penances and
VaiMoi austerities in solitude for many long
toiituik. years. Even when living in the
world one should occasionally go into solitu'le.
It will bring great good to one who can sincerely
and earnestly cry for God three days and three
nights in solitude, alone. Indeed, one day
passed in that way would be a great gain.
People will shed a jarful of tears for wives and
children, but who weeps one tear for the Lord?
It is necessary to practise every now and then
devotional exercises in solitude. A worldly-
minded aspirant absorbed in various works and
duties finds in the first stage of his spiritual life
a great number of obstacles in the path of self-
control and devotion. As a young tree planted
on the foot-path needs a fence around it that it
may not be eaten up by sheep and cattle, so in
the first stage of a spiritual aspirant, a fence is
necessary, but when the tree grows large and
the trunk and roots are thicker and stronger,
no fence is required. Then it is not injured
even if an elephant be tied to it.
The disease of a worldly man is of a serious
type; his organs with their functions are en-
tirely out of order. Would you keep a large
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKKISHNA
water-jar and savory pickles in the same room in
SoUtudaB which & patient with typhoid fever
nmtdy lor was lying ? If you wish to cure such
woridiiniM. ^ patient, you must have him re-
moved ffom that room, in case it is impossible
to send away the jar and the pickles. A man
of the world is Hke unto such a thirsty patient;
worldly attractions are like the jar of wate-;
sense objects are like the savory pickles; desire
bo enjoy those things is the patient's thirst.
The mouth waters at the mere thought of
the pickles. We should not therefore remain
near them all the time. Hence solitude is the
best remedy for worldliness. First acquire
right discrimination and true dispassion and
then live in the world. In the sea of the world
there are crocodiles of passions and desires.
Rub the body with turmeric-paste if you wish
to bathe in the sea. for then crocodiles will do
no harm to you. The turmeric is discrimina-
tion (of the Real from the unreal) and true dis-
passion. God is the only Reality, the phenom-
enal universe is unreal.
Along with this another thing is needed, that
is intense devotion to God. The Gopis * of
• TTie milkmaids of VrindSvan who loved the Lord Sri
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
VrindAvan had such devotion. They had an
lateon devo- intense love for Sri Krishna, God
tioD aecuury. Incarnate.
The Bhagavan then said to Keshab and other
devotees with great feeling: You are Brahmos;
you believe that God is formless and you do
not believe in God Incarnate. Well, it matters
not. You need not accept R^dhS and Sri
Krishna as Incarnations of the Supreme Being;
but the intense love and yearning which the
Gopis felt for Sri Krishna ia a thing which you
may well make your own, for yearning is the
next step leading to God-vision.
It was ebb-tide. The steamer was going
fast down -St ream towards Calcutta. It had
got to the other side of the Howrah Bridge within
sight of the Botanical Gardens. The Captain
had orders to go a little farther down. How
Krishna, Ihen living among Ihem as a shepherd-boy. When
eleven years old He lefi Vrindftvan. Sri Krishna is looked
upon as an Incarnation of God. He loved and was loved by
everyone. He is the Impersonation of Divine Love. Vritt-
d&van is the sacred forest near Mathtirfl in India wbeic the
shepherd Krishna played his boyish sports with boys and
girls and perFormed many miracles. ,
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
far the steamer had actually proceeded was not
known to those who were listening to Sri K&ma-
krishna and watching His movements. They
listened with such rapt attention that they had
no idea either of time or of distance..
Keshab now offered the Bhagav4n puffed
rice with the kernel of the cocoanut. All
present were invited to partake of these. They
took them in the folds of their cloth, ate and
were very happy. It seemed as if a festival
were being held on board the steamer. The
Bhagavin noticed that Bijoy and Keshab were
not quite at home in each other's presence.
He wished to see them make up their difference,
for was not His mission to bring peace and good-
will among men ? He said to Keshab :
Look, my dear sir, here is Bijoy. As to your
quarrels, well, do not worry yourselves on
their account. There was fighting even be-
tween Shiva and R&ma. Shiva was Rama's
spiritual Guru. After a little fighting, they
made it up and became once more as good
friends as ever. But the fighting went on among
their followers. The gibbering of the ghosts
and the chattering of the monkeys could not
so easily be quieted down. You too will be
very good friends, once again. But your fol-
u.„. ...... -Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
lowers, I dare sa.y, will follow your example.
These differences, you know, are things that
cannot be avoided. There was the tug of war
even between father and son. Take the case
of Rtms. and his sons Laba and Kusha. Take
another case: The mother fasts on Tuesday
for the welfare of her daughter, but the daughter,
quarrelling with the mother, fasts on Tuesday
for her own welfare, as if her welfare were
different from that gained by her mother's
fasting. In the same way, you, Keshab, have
a religious society (SamJkj) of your own, and
Bijoy, too, must have a separate society of his
own. Well, there is room for all kinds of things
under Providence — even for quarrels and dif-
ferences. When God-Incamate (Krishna) Him-
self appeared at Vrindivan, the question may
well be asked: Why did Jatilla and Kutilla stand
in the way of His mission of love? I suppose
His sport as a Divine Lover would have died a
natural death from want of nourishment but for
these obstructions, the Jatillas and Kwtillas.
Opposition adds zest to a thing, Rajn^nuja*
held the doctrine of Vishishtadvaita (qualified
non-dualism). His Guru (spiritual guide), how-
• See note page 370.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
ever, was an Advaitist (non-dualist without any
qualification). They had their difEerences,
Master and disciple disputed and refuted each
other's opinions. This is natural. Be it so;
still to the master the disciple is always his own.
They all rejoiced. Srt RSmakrishna said to
Keshab: You do not study and examine the
The nature of "^t""^ o^ youf discipies. For that
I reason they drop away. All men
look alike, but they differ in their
nature. In some the Sattwa quality" is pre-
dominant, in others Rajas, and in the rest
Tamas. Pooli (cakes) all look alike on the
outside, but the contents vary; some may con-
tain sweet thickened cream, others cocoanut
sweetened with sugar, while others may have
boiled Kalai (pulse) with no sweetening.
Do you know how I feel about it.' Like a
child I eat, drink and play, depending on my
Divine Mother, who knows everything. These _
three words prick me: Guru (spiritual master),
Karta (the Lord), and Bftba (father), I cannot
OodthcoM bear them. The infinite Existence-
'»"'*'• Intelligence- Bliss is the one Guru for
all. He will teach everybody. I am only His
child.
It is a difficult task to teach others. One
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
can become a true spiritual teacher only when
Who i* a (rue °"^ ^*^ realized God and received a
nririMai Divine commission from Him. So
"** ' commissioned were Narada,* Suka-
deva and Sankar4ch4rya.t If you are not com-
missioned, who will listen to you? You know
Calcutta and her fondness for the latest sensa-
tion. Milk puffs up so long as it is over burning
wood; but when the wood is withdrawn, the
puffing ceases instantly. The people of Cal-
cutta are fond of new sensations. They say
they want water and they begin to dig a well
at one place; but they give it up as soon as
they find that the earth is hard and stony.
They then set to work to dig at another place.
Suppose the soil is sandy there; they will as
readily give up digging at that spot. They will
look about for another locality. That is the
way with these people. Their good opinion is
by no means worth having.
* N&rada. In the Hindu Scriptures Nftrada is described
as the Ideal lover of God. He communed with the Lord
under all conditions. The Lord Vishnu selected him as Hii
most beloved messenger.
t Sankarichftrya was the commentator of the "Vedlnta
Sutras" and the greatest exponent of the Advaila (monistic)
Ved&nta. He lived in India in the eighth century A.D.
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Divine commission cannot be obtained by-
mere imagination. Verily I say, the Lord can
DMm com- be realized and He will speak to thee.
•"i"'^- Then thou mayest receive His com-
mission. What great power lies in such Divine
commandl By it mountains may be shaken to
their foundation. What can a mere ordinary
lecture do? People may listen to it for a time,
but they will soon forget it. It will not produce
a lasting impression and they will not live
according to it.
For the teaching of Divine truths a badge of
authority is indispensable. A man who tries to
teach" others without it will be laughed at. He
cannot get realization himself and he tries to
Ordinvy ipir- show the Way to othCTS. It is like the
itui tMcfewa blind leading the bhnd. In this way
■" ■ more harm is done than good. When
God is realized the inner spiritual sight opens
and it is then that the true teacher can perceive
the sickness of the soul and can prescribe the
proper remedy. Without God's command a
man easily becomes egotistic and thinks, "I
have the power to teach others." Such egotism
is the result of ignorance. In ignorance one
feels, "I am the doer;" but when one realizes
that "God is the Lord and doer of all, I cannot
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
do anything," then one becomes absolutely free
even in this life. All misery and restlessness
proceed from the sense of "I" and "me," "I
am the doer," "I am the actor."
You talk glibly of doing good to the world.
Is the world contained in a nutshell ? Besides,
Fi™t Hc am ^^° ^^^ y°" ^° ^° good to the world?
thni help (be First practice devotional exercises
*~"' and realize God. Attain to Him.
If He graciously gives you His powers (Sakti),
then you can help others, and not till then.
A Brfthmo devotee: Revered Sir, are we to
give up all works until we have seen God?
Sri R^makrishna: No, why will you give up
all works? Meditation upon God, chanting His
Holy Name, and other devotional exercises are
daily works which you should have to perform.
The devotee: But what about household
works and business affairs?
Sri Ramakrishna : Oh ! you will also perform
those, but only so far as is absolutely necessary
'Pray Hut ^°'* 'i^'i^g ^^ t^^ worfd; and you
woridiy work should at the same time pray in soli-
"■*''"*'***' tude unto the Lord with tears in
your eyes for His grace, and for strength to do
your duties without seeking any reward. Say
when you pray; "Lord, grant that my T*ork in
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the world and for the world may grow less and
less day by day, for I see that my work growing
manifold only makes me lose sight of Thee.
Sometimes I think that I do my duties imat-
tached to the world, but I know not how I de-
ceive myself and do them through attachment
instead. I give alms to the poor, and behold,
I seek for fame, Oh I know not howt"
Shambhu (MuUik) * talked of founding hos-
pitals and di.spensaries, schools and colleges, of
o«i-vidoa«wi^^''^'"S roads, sinking wells and
phibBavafiic digging tanks for the good of all. I
""'^ said to him: "Yes, whatever comes
in your way and is absolutely necessary you
will do; even that, without seeking any reward.
Do not seek more work than you can well per-
form. If you do you will forget the Lord. A
man desired to see the shrine of the Divine
Mother. On his way he stopped and spent all
* BIbu Shambhu Charan Mullik was a Hindu multi-
millkinaire of Calcutta. He had a large garden-house near
the Temple of Dakihioeiwata vhtre many a time he en-
tertained Bhagavftn Rimakrishna. It was in this garden-
house R&makrishna had (he vision of Christ who entered
into His body and remained with Him for three days nnd
three nights. Bftmakrishna said to Hb disciples thai during
that time He was not conscious of His being u Hindu and
that He could not enter into the Temple compound.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the day in distributing alms to the poor. When
he went to the shrine, the door was closed and
he could not see the Holy of Holies. The wise
ones should first see the Holy Mother, by push-
ing their way through the crowd assembled at
the gate of the Temple, and after seeing Her,
they may then turn their attention to alms-
giving and other good works, if they so desire."
All good works are for the realization of God.
Works are the means and God-vision is the end.
Therefore I said to Shambhu: "Sun-
Ood^>laiillw „ , , „ , .
nid oi all pcr> pose you See God, or that God mani-
•»"»•«• "^ fests Himself to you, will you say to
Him: 'Lord, do Thou grant that I
may have lots of dispensaries and hospitals,
schools and colleges!'" A true devotee shall
rather pray in this wise: "Grant, good Lord,
that I may have a niche in the Lotus of Thy
Feet, that it may be my privilege to live always
in Thy Holy Presence and that I may have deep
and unalloyed devotion unto Thee."
Karma Yoga is very difficult. It is difficult in
this materialistic age (Kali-yuga) to get through
Path oi Bhakd ^'^ the Works, all the duties laid upon
Yds* but lor US by the Sacred Books. Verily in
*"'■**■ this age, earthly life depends entirely
upon material food. Works and duties, there is
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
scarcely time enough for them. It will be all
over with the patient suffering from the burning
fever of this world if he is allowed to go through
the slow process of treatment practised' by the
old-fashioned Hindu physicians. People are
short-lived and the malaria carries one off in a
few days. The specific for the present day is
Dr. D. Gupta's patent fever mixture, which pro-
duces a miraculous effect at once. Yes, in this
age the one means of realizing God is Bhakti or
sincere devotion and love for Him, and earnest
prayer and the chanting of His Holy Name and
Divine attributes. (To Keshab and other de-
votees) Your path, too, lies through devotion
and self -surrender to the Lord (Bhakti Yoga).
Blessed are ye who sing the Name of Hari and
chant the praises of my Divine Mother. Your
path is right. Unlike the non-dualists, you
do not believe that this world is only a dream.
You are not Jn&nis, but Bhaktas; you believe
in a Personal God, that is good. You are Bhak-
tas. If you can sincerely and earnestly cry for
Him, you will surely obtain Him.
(To Keshab) You talk against child mar-
riage and the caste system, about female eman-
cipation and female education. I say one thing
is needful, — the realization of God and devotion ,
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
to Him. First realize God and all other things
shall be added unto you. Jadu MuHik is a rich
man. If you wish to cultivate his acquaintance,
do not trouble yourself as to how much wealth
he has, how many houses he owns, how many
country-houses and gardens: First, be intro-
duced to him and he will furnish you with all
the necessary information afterwards.
There was a young man named Podo in a
certain village. In that village was an old
PuvMi of the dilapidated temple. The holy image
dowtMi of God once worshipped there had
umpk. disappeared and it was now the home
of small bats. One day at nightfall the vil-
lagers were surprised to hear the sound of bells,
gongs, and conch-shells issuing from the de-
serted temple. Men, women and children all
flocked to the place. They thought that some
devotee must be worshipping some image of
God newly set up within the temple by perform-
ing the Arati, the evening ceremony of waving
the lights and offering flowers, fruits and holy
water. With folded hands they all stood
listening to the sacred sounds before the temple.
One of them, more curious than the rest, had
the courage to go inside. To his surprise he
saw that Podo was ringing the bell and blowing
»74
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the shell; but the floor was as dirty as before
with impurities of all kinds and there was no
image of God on the altar! He then called
out, saying: "O Podo, thou hast no MAdhava
(Sri Krishna, God-Incarnate) in the temple;
how is it, then, that thou hast raised all this
clamor by blowing the conch-shell? And be-
hold! thou hast not even taken the trouble to
cleanse the temple by removing the impurities
and dirt of years and washing the floor with
the holy water of the Ganges!"
First realize God in the temple of your heart.
With that in view, you must cleanse it of all
Fin<cieuH unpuritles, all sin and iniquity, all
the heart. attachment to the world caused by
the power of the senses. It is then that the
time comes for blowing the shell, if need be.
Talk of social reforms! You may well do so
after realizing God. Remember, the Rishis of
old gave up the world in order to attain to
God. This is the one thing needful. All other
things shall be granted imto you.
The steamer had come back to KoylAghSt
(Calcutta). All on board held themselves in
readiness to land. As they came out of the
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
cabin they saw that the full moon had bathed
the bosom of the Holy Ganges and the adjoining
banks with her mellow light. The Bhagav&n
with two or three disciples got into a cab
which had been kept waiting for Him on the
shore. Nandalil, Keshab's nephew, also got
in. He wished to, go with the fihagav4n for
some distance. When all had seated themselves
in the cab, Sri RSmakrishna asked: "Where is
Keshab?" In a few moments Keshab came up
smiling and inquired who were going with Him.
Being satisfied with the answer, he bowed down
to the ground before the Bh^av&n, who
affectionately bade him adieu.
The cab set out. The Bhagav&n was filled
with supreme joy as the carriage drove along.
Suddenly He said: "I am thirsty; what is to
be done? " NandalM stopped the carriage before
the gates of the India Club and went upstairs to
bring water. It was brought in a glass tumbler.
The Bhagav^n, smiling, asked, "Is the glass
well washed?" Nandal&l replied, "Yes." The
Bhagavin drank the water. He was childlike
in His simplicity. He put forward His face to
look at the various objects on both sides. His
joy knew no bounds as He saw men. animals, car-
riages, houses, the moonlight, the lighted streetsi
176
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Nandaiai got out at Colutolft. The cab came
to a stop before the door of Suresh Mitra's *
house. Suresh was very much attached to
the Bhagav&n, but he was not at home. He
had gone to visit a newly-purchased garden at
K^nkurgichi. His people opened a room on
the ground-floor and invited the party to be
seated there. The cab-fare was to be paid.
Who was there to pay it? Had Suresh been at
home, he would have done so. The Bhagav&n
said to a disciple: "Ask the ladies of the house
for the fare. I suppose they know well enough
that their husbands are in the habit of coming
to our place,"
Narendra (Vivek^nanda) lived in the same
neighborhood, so the Bhagav&n sent for him.
Meanwhile the inmates of the house led Him
upstairs into the drawing-room. The matting
of the floor was covered with a carpet and a
white sheet. Three or four pillows were lying
about. On the walls there hung a beautiful
oil-painting which Suresh intended to be a
representation of the harmony of all religions.
• Babu Suresh Chunder Mitra was a devoted householder
disciple of R&makriahna. The Bhagavftn used to call him
Surendra. See Chapter VIII.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
In the painting Sri Rimakrishna was represented
as pointing to Keshab that all religions lead
to one goal — be it Hinduism, Mahometanism,
Buddhism, Christianity, or their various sects.
The Bhagav4n was conversing with smiles on
His tips when Narendra came up. His joy re-
doubled. He said to Narendra as He talked:
We enjoyed such a pleasant trip on board the
steamer with Keshab Sen. Bijoy also was
there, and many of those present here. You
may ask Mahendra how I talked to Keshab
and Bijoy about the mother and her daughter
both observing fast on Tuesday each for her
own welfare, and how God's Sports in this
world would suffer for want of nourishment in
the absence of obstructions like Jatilla and
Kutilla.
It was getting late. But Suresh had not
come home as yet. The Bhagav^n asked to go
back to the Temple at Dakshineswara. It was
about half-past ten and He wished to leave for
the garden. The streets were flooded with
moonlight. The cab was at the door. The
Bhagav&n got in. Narendra and Mahendra
bowed low to the Master and started for their
U.g.V6c.y Google
CHAPTER VI
SUNDAY AT THE TEMPLE
The nineteenth of August, 1883, fell on Sun-
day and was the first day after the full moon,
so the devotees had leisure to come and see
their beloved Master at Dakshineswara. Every-
one had free access. He talked with everybody
who came. His visitors were from all classes
of people, — Sannyasins * and Paramahamsas.f
Hindus, Christians and Br&hmos, Sdktas,
Vaishnavas and Shaivas, — ^women as well as
men. It was noon. Sri Ra.makrishna was
seated in His usual place in His room. A dis-
ciple came and saluted Him, falling at His
* SeiuiyAsiD3 are those who have renounced the world and
its pleasures for the sake of the Lord.
t Faraxnahamsaa are those who bave attained to Ntrvikalpa
SanUUki, 01 Brahma-Jn&na.
179
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
hallowed fe.et. The Bhagav4n made him sit
down and kindly inquired after the welfare of
himself and of his family. A short while after
the Bhagavfm began to talk to him upon the
Vedanta. He said:
The Astavakara Samhita * deals with the
knowledge of the Atman (Self). The knowers
Non-dtuBrtk of the Self declare: "I am He, I am
vsttniiM. tiiat Supreme Self." This is the
view of all the Sannylsins belonging to the non-
dualistic (Advaita) school of Vedllnta. But it
is not meet that a man of the world should hold
such a view. He is doing all kinds of work ; how
at the same time can he be that Highest Self,
the Absolute Brahman, who is beyond all ac-
tions? The Non-dualistic Vedantins hold that
the Self has no attachment to anything. Pleas-
ure, pain, virtue, vice, can never affect the Self
in any way; but they do affect men who think
that their soul is the same as the body. Smoke
can blacken only the wall, but not the space
through which it moves. There was a certain
devotee named Krishna Kisore who used to
say that he was Kha, or empty space. He
* AstSvakra. SamhitfL is a woric containing the highest
exposition of the Advaita Vedftnta. written by the ancient
sage Astlvakra, who was the preceptor of King Janalca.
,„,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
meant that he was the same as the Highest Self,
Brahman the Absolute, who is sometimes likened
to Akftsa (infinite space) because nothing can be
predicated of It. A true philosopher has some
right to say this. As for others, such a senti-
ment is altogether out of place.
But it is good for everyone to cherish the idea
that he is free. " I am free," " I am free " ; if a
man constantly says this, he is sure
fnedotn /o be free. On the other hand, he
jj^j^* who always thinks that he is in bond-
age brings bondage on himself in the
end. The weak-minded man who always says,
"I am a sinner," "I am a sinner," is sure to
have a fall. A man should rather say: "Irepeat
the Holy Name of God ; how can there be any
sin in me, or bondage of the world?"
Then turning towards the disciple, the Bhaga-
v^n said:
To-day my mind is not at ease. I hear from
Hridai * that he has been aiHng much. Is this
• HridSya Mukerji was an old servant of Srt Raraakrishna
and .served Him for nearly thirly years in the Temple of
Dakshineswaia — till 1881. He was a remote nephew of
Srt R&mBlcrishna. His birthplace was in the village of Siore,
in the district of Hughly. He breathed his last towards
the end of April, 1SS9. "Hridai" was a pet abbreviation
of his name used by Srt R^lmakrishoa.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
anxiety due to i/ikyk (attachment) or Daya
ntytua (compassion) towards bim?
D^*- The disciple did not know what to
reply and remained silent,
Sri R&makrishna : Do you know what is
Mkyhi Love towards one's own father, brother.
. sister, wife, child, nephew, niece, is called M^ya.
and compassion means loving all beings equally.
Now what is this, my anxiety, due to^MHy^ or
compassion? But Hridai did a gr^t deal for
me. He served me much. He never hesitated
to do all sorts of menial services for me. My
mind will be set at rest if he can get the money
he needs. Now whom am I to ask for money?
And how can I ask, being a SannySsin?
At two or three oclock in the afternoon two
great devotees, Adhar * and Balar^m, came and
prostrated themselves before Him and took
their seats. They asked Him how He was do-
ing. The Bhagavan replied: "Well, my body
is all right, but not so is the mind." He did not
mention anything about Hridaya's illness.
* Adhar was the first name of Babu Adhar ISI Sen, a rich
indu Deputy Magistrate of Calcutla. He was a devoted
luseholder disciple of R^makrishna, who often sanctified
i home by His holy visits.
.y Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
In the course of the conversation, when the
talk was about the Goddess Simhav&hini *
(seated upon a lion) belonging to the Mullik
family of Barabaz^r, He said: Once I went to
see the Simhavahini. She was then staying in
one Mullik's house at Chashadhopap4ra. The
house was almost a deserted one. The family
had become very poor. In some places there
was filth, in other places mosses were growing
undisturbed. The cement upon the wall was
crumbling down, and brick-dust and sand were
slowly falling. Other houses belonging to the
Mulliks are very neat and clean, but this was not
so. Can you explain why this was the case ? The
truth is that everyone must reap the fruit of his
t.«rf past actions. We should believe in
K«riiia. the law of Karma. One thing, how-
ever, I saw in that deserted house, — that the
„ . face of the Goddess was beaming
PrttuctiB with glory. We should believe in
imM«- the Divine Presence infilling the
images of the Deity,
• In Hindu mythology the Goddess Durgft destmyed the
Demons, riding upon a wM lion. Hence Her name is "Sim-
hav&hini"
.83
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
I went to Vishnupura.* The Rkjk has several
good temples. In one of the temples there is
the image of a Goddess named Mrinmayi, A
big tank is before the temple. But how was it
that I smelted in the tank the spices that women
use to perfume their hair? I did not know that
they offered such spices to the Goddess when
they went to worship her, I had not seen her
image near the tank, but in Sam&dhi I saw her
Divine form down to her waist. The Divine
Mother of the universe appeared to me in the
form of Mrinmayi.
By this time other devotees had arrived.
The talk then turned on the Kabul war and the
civil war that came after. One gave the news
that YAkub Kh&n f had been deposed from his
throne, adding: Sir, Y&kub Khitn is a great
devotee.
Srt RUmakrishna : Well, pleasure and pain,
happiness and misery, are things one cannot
TriaUota Separate from the body. We read
devotH. in Kavi Kankana's { "Chandi"that
Kaiuvira, a great devotee, was shut up in prison.
*The Dame of an ancient city in Bengal
tvakub Khln was the Amir of Afghanistan wbo was
deposed by the British after the Kabul war of 1879.
t Kavi Kjiakaoa na& a great poet of Bengal, whose famous
184
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
"ttiey placed a heavy stone upon his breast.
Yet Kaiu was the favorite child of the Mother
of the universe. Pleasure and pain, happiness
and misery, come with the body. How great a
devotee was Srimanta! How fondly the god-
dess loved bis mother KhullanikI But what an
amount of trouble he had to go through ! They
took him to the scaffold to be executed, A cer-
tain woodman, a great devotee, was fortunate
enough to see the goddess, and the goddess loved
him very much and showed her kindness towards
him; buthehad to^go on with the trade of wood-
cutter all the same. He had to sell firewood
to get his livelihood. It does not follow that a
devoted lover of God must be very well off in
Adwoteait the world. But he is rich in spirit,
rich In apirit. though he may be poor in worldly
things. Devaki in prison saw Gk>d in the form
of a hvmian being holding thfe conch-shell, discus,
mace and lotus in His four hands ; but she could
not get out of the prison for all her God-vision.
Disciple: But she should have got rid, not
only of imprisonment, but of her body, that be-
ing the source of all her troubles.
work is entitled "Chandi," or the exploits of the Divine
Mother. KlhiTira and Srimanta were the heroes ot this
poem,
185
■ • u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF BAMAKRISHNA
Bhagavfln: One's body is the result of one's
past actions. Therefore one must bear with it
Body iwoit at SO long as the past actions are not
paMictioiu. cleared up. A blind man taking a
bath in the holy water of the Ganges has his sins
washed off, but his blindness continues all the
same. It is the result of the actions of his
previous life. But however the body may be
under the influence of pleasure and pain, how-
ever the body may be happy or miserable, the
true devotee is all the same rich in spirit, rich
in knowledge {JnSna) and the love of God
(Bhakti). Take for instance the P^davas. How
many dangers and difficulties they had to face!
What wants and miseries to bearl But amidst
all these they never lost their wisdom. Can
you find others equally wise and devoted to
God?
At this time Narendra (Swami VivekAnanda)
and Visvan^ha Up^dhyaya,* the Nepaulese
Resident in Calcutta, entered. Bowing down
to Srt Ramakrishna, they took their seats. Sri
Ramakrishna asked Narendra to sing. There
• Visvanfttha UpadhyiyB was a Brilhinin scholar and a
devotee of Srt Rflmakrishna. He was like a consul of tlie
Nepsul Govemment to tlie British.
./Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA '
was hanging on the western wall of the room a
T^puftl (a stringed musical instrument). Na-
rendra took it down and began to tune it.
Everyone was intently looking upon his face,
eager to listen to his songs.
Bhagav^n to Narendra: This instrument no
longer sounds as before.
Visvan^tha: It is filled, therefore there is no
sound, as with a vessel filled with water.
Sri Ramakrishna: But how do you explain
the life of N^rada and of other Divine Teachers ?
They had realized God, but still spoke. They
were filled, but they gave forth sounds.
Visvanitha: They spoke for the good of
mankind.
BhagavSn: Yes, NSrada and Sukadeva came
down from the highest state of Sam&dhi. Their
hearts went out to those who were weary and
heavy-laden and knew not God. They spoke
for the good of others,
Narendra began to sing:
I. In the temple of the heart dwelleth the
Eternal Truth.
Ever- beholding His glorious and lovely
form, when shall we dive in the sea of His
Beauty?
187
L;,.....,CoOglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
a. In the form of Infinite Wisdom the Lord will
enter my soul.
The restless mind filled with wonder will
take refu^ at His Blessed Feet.
Immortal BUss, like embodied nectar, will
rise in the firmament of the soul.
3, At Thy sight we shall be mad with joy even
as the Chakora * is maddened at the sight
of the moon.
4. O King of kings, there is none like Thee, all
good and all peaceful.
At Thy feet, Beloved, I shall offer myself
and thus fulfil the aim of my life,
J. Even here shall I enjoy heavenly bliss, so
great a privilege where could I findf
6. O Lord, beholdingThypure and perfect form,
all sins will take flight, even as darkness
vanishes before light.
7. O kindle in my heart the light of burning
faith, fixed firm like the polar star, and
thus, Friend of the meek, fulfil my one
desire. Day and night merged in the
* Cha^ra is the name of a kind of aquatic biid.
188
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Bliss of Thy Love. O I shall forget myself
having attained to Thee.
(O when will this come ?)
Srt R^makrishna had lost Himself in deep
Samadhi as soon as He had heard the words
Sunuuor "Immortal bliss Hke embodied nec-
W"'''^'™- tar." There He sat with clasped
hands, turning His face toward the East. He
was diving deep into the Ocean of Beauty of
the All-Blissful One. No external conscious-
ness, no sign of breathing, no motion in any of
His limbs, no quiver of the eye, — like one drawn
in a picture! He had gone away somewhere
from this kingdom, from this world of the senses.
Returning from Samftdhi,- the Bhagav^n
murmured in an indistinct voice: "Thou art I,
I am Thou. Thou eatest, Thou and I eat.
What is this? Have I jaundiced eyes.' I see
Thee everyTvhere. Wherever I cast my eyes, I
see Thy form." Then He repeated the holy
name of Krishna: "0 Friend of the meek and
gentle I O Lord of my heart I O Divine Shep-
herd!" After repeating this a few times, He
again went into Samadhi. Coming back to
sense-consciousness, He opened His eyes and
found that the room was full of people of every
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
class. Marendra, seeing that the BhagavSn
was in Samadhi, had left the room and gone to
the eastern veranda, where Hfiara* was seated
on a blanket telling his beads. Narendra be-
gan to talk with him. In the meanwhile the
Bhagav^ looked for Narendra in the room, but
he was not there. The T&npur& (musical in-
strument) was lying on the ground. The devo-
tees all had their eyes fixed upon the Bhaga-
v4n, who began thus, referring to Narendra:
He has lighted the fire. It matters not whether
he remains in the room or leaves it !
Then turning towards Visvan&tha and His
numerous devotees. He said: Meditate upon
BUucomMia God, the sole Existence, Knowledge
Dxuutiaii. and BHss Eternal, and you also shall
have bliss. That Being of Knowledge and
Bliss is always here and everywhere, only It is
covered and obscured by ignorance. The less
is your attachment towards the senses, the more
will be your love for God.
Visvan^tha: The more we near our home at
Calcutta, the farther we are from Benares, and
the more we near Benares, the farther we are
away from our home.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Bhagavan ; As Srimati (RAdha) * neared Srt
Krishna, she perceived more and more the
Li»«r at n«L ^^i^""i"8 fragrance of His sweet per-
son. The more one approaches God,
the more does one's love toward Him increase.
The morp the river nears the sea, the more it is
subject to ebb and flow. The Ganges of knowl-
edge flowing in the soul of a wise man runs only
in one direction. To him the whole universe is
a dream. He always lives in His own True Self
(Atman). But the Ganges of love in a devo-
tee's heart does not run in one direction. It
has its ebb and flow. A devotee laughs, weeps,
dances, sings. He wants sometimes to enjoy
his Beloved, to merge into his Beloved! He
swims in Him, dives, rises up in his joy as
merrily as a lump of ice floats upon the water.
But in fact God the Absolute and God the
Creator are one and the same Being. The Ab-
solute Existence-Intelligence-Bliss is
AbMiute the All-knowing, All -intelligent and
■ndOodtbe All-bhssful Mother of the Universe.
The precious stone (Mani) and its
brightness cannot be separated in thought, for
♦ Srimati Radhft was the beloved consort of Srt Krishna,
the greatest of the Saviours among the Hindus.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
we cannot think of the stone without its bright-
ness, nor can we think of the brightness apart
from the stone. The Absolute Existence- Intelli-
gence-Bliss, the Undifferentiated, appears as
differentiated into many. He has various
names applied to Him according to the vari-
ous powers manifested. That is the reason of
His having many forms. Hence a devotee has
sung: "O my Mother T4ra,* Thou art even all
that." Wherever there is action, such as crea-
tion, preservation and destruction, there is
Sakti or Intelligent Energy. But water is
water whether it is calm or disturbed. That
One Absolute Existence-Intelligence-Bliss is
also the eternally Intelligent Energy which
creates, preserves and destroys the universe.
Thus it is the same VisvanStha whether he
does nothing or performs his worship or visits
the Governor- General. In all cases it is the
same Visvan^tha, only these are his different
Upadhis or states.
Visvan^tha : Yes, Sir, that is so.
Bhagav^n: I said this to Keshab Chandra
Sen.
*Tara is another name of the Divine Mother of the
U.g.V6c.y Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Visvanatha; Well. Sir, Keshab Chandra Sen
does not respect our orthodox Hindu manners,
customs and laws. How can he be a real saint ?
The Bhagavan (turning towards His devo-
tees) : Visvan^tha never wants me to go to see
Keshab Sen.
Visvanatha : But Thy Holiness will go. What
can I do?
Bhagavan: You go to see the Governor-
General, who according to your Sh&stras* is a
Mleccha (unclean), and for money, too; and
may I not go to see Keshab Sen? It does not
become you to speak in this way. You often
say: "It is God who has manifested Himself as
the human soid and the world itself." What
you say you must mean; what you mean you
must say!
After this Ramakrishna abruptly left the
room and went to the northeastern veranda.
Visvanatha and other devotees remained wait-
ing for Him in the room. Narendra was found
talking with Hazra on the veranda. Sri
Ramakrishna knew that Hazra was an out-and-
out non-dualist and a dry logician. He upheld
that all the universe was a mere dream; that all
* Hindu Sacred Books ar« called Shastras.
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
kinds of worship and offerings were mental de-
lusions ; that God was the one changeless Entity %
and that a man should only meditate upon his
Atman (Self), and do nothing else..
Bhagav^ (laughing) : What are you talking
about ?
Narendra: We are discussing themes all too
big for ordinary mortals.
Bhagav^n (laughing) : But however you may
talk, know that pure selfless devotion (Bhakti)
PureBhakti ^""^ pure selfless knowledge (JnSna)
■od pan . are both one ; their goal is the same.
Jninaom. Smooth and easy is the path of de-
votion leading to God.
Narendra: There is no use in reasoning like
a philosopher; make me, O Mother, mad with
Thy love. I have been reading Hamilton's
Philosophy, and he writes: "A learned ig-
norance is the end of philosophy and the be-
ginning of religion."
Bhagavan: What does that mean?
Narendra explained it in Bengali. Sri RSma-
krishna laughed and thanked him in English,
saying, "Thank you!" Everyone laughed at
this, for the Bhagavfin's knowledge of English
was confined to a few such expressions.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Soon twilight began to fall. The devotees
one after another took leave of the Bhagav^n,
and so did Narendra.
The day was drawing to a close. The Tem-
ple-servant was arranging the lights. The
Evenioi at priests were busy saying their prayers
uw Tanpit. ^s they stood waist-deep in the sacred
waters of the Ganges, purifying themselves
body and soul. They were shortly to go to
their respective temples to perform the Aratt,
the evening ceremony. The young men of
Dakshineswara had come with their friends to
take a walk in the garden. They were strolling
about the rampart, enjoying the sweet evening
breeze made fragrant by the flowers and watch-
ing the slightly undulating breast of the swiftly-
flowing Ganges. Some of them, perhaps the
more thoughtful, cOuld be found going about
by themselves in the solitude of the sacred trees
called the Panchavati.
Bhagav&n Srt R^makrishna also looked at
the Ganges for some time from the western
veranda.
It was evening. The lamp-lighter had lighted
all the lamps of the big temple. The old maid-
., Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
servant came and lit the lamp in the Bhagav^'s
room and burned incense there. In the mean-
time the Arati ceremony had begmi in the
twelve shrines dedicated to Shiva. It began
soon after in the temples of K^, Mother of the
Universe, and of Srt Vishnu. The united and
solemn sound of gongs, bells, cymbals, grew
more solemn and sweet as it was echoed back
by the murmuring Ganges below.
It was the first itmar day after the full moon.
A short while after nightfall the moon rose.
Gradually the tops of the trees in the garden, as
well as the big temple compound, were bathed
in her balmy light. At the magic touch of her
radiance the maters of the Ganges shone bright
like silver and flowed on dancing with great joy.
When at nightfall Sri Rimakrishna bowed
down to the Divine Mother, He repeated the
Holy Names of God, keeping time all the while
by clapping his hands. In His room there
were pictures of various Incarnations of God.
He bowed before each picture, repeating the
Holy Name of each. He also repeated His
favorite mantrafns, each having some lofty,
unifying principle running through it, such as:
(i) Brahma- Atma-Bhaga van. (The Abso-
lute Brahman of the Vedanta, True Self and the
10
I
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAK.RISHNA
Personal God of the Bhakta are three in one and
one in three.)
(2) Bhagavata - Bhakta - Bhagavan. (The
Word, the devotee and the Personal God are
three in one and one in three.)
(3) Brahma-Sakti, Sakti-Brahma. (God the
Absolute and the Creative Energy are one and
the same.)
(4) Veda-Purana-Tantra-Gita-Giyatri. (God
of the Scriptures and Holy texts.)
(5) Saran^gata, Saran^gata. (I take refuge
in Thee. I am Thine, I am Thine.)
(6) Nftham-Naham, Tuhu-Tuhu. (Not I, not
I, but Tnou, but Thou.)
(7) Ami Yantra, tumi yantri. (I am the
machine; Thou art the One who runs the
^ machine.)
After all these repetitions were ended, He
meditated upon the Mother Divine with clasped
hands.
A few of the devotees had been walking about
in the garden during the evening. When the
Arati ceremonies were over in the temples, one
after another they came together in Sri Rima-
krishna's room.
He was sitting on His seat with devotees be-
fore Him on the floor. He said: Narendra,
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
RAkh^l and Bhavanatha— these are Nityasid-
dhas (perfect even from their birth). They
need no training. What training they go
through is more than they need. You see that
N^^ndra never cares for anyone. He was
with me in Visvan&tha's carriage the other
day. When he was requested to sit upon the
better seat, he paid no heed at all. Moreover,
he never shows to me that he knows anything,
lest 1 praise him before men. He has no MiylL,
no attachment. He looks as if he were free
from all bondage. For a single individual he
has many gifts and many noble qualities. He
is also very courteous in his manners. He
knows how to control his senses; he has said
that he will not marry, but will live a pure life.
That is good. I always go into Sam^hi when
I see him.
We mould our character according to the
company we keep ; and we keep such company
Ckmndt uu as is in harmony with our character.
uMciaUoiu. poj. ^iiis reason the Paramahamsas
(perfected souls) like to keep the company of
innocent children because their minds are pure,
simple and unstained by worldliness.
As Sri R&makrishna was speaking these words,
a worthy Br^min entered the room and bo^ed
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
down at His £eet. The Bhagav&n had known
him before and loved him because he was sin-
cere and simple. He had studied Ved^ta in
Benares, the seat of great learning. R&ma-
krishna said to him: Well, you have not been
here for a long time. How are you?
The Brahmin, smiUng, replied: "Revered
Sir, the duties of the world, as Thou knowest,
take most of my time."
He then took his seat and R&makrishna con-
tinued: You remained in Benares for a long
time. Tell us what you saw there. Let us
hear something about Day4nanda.*
Br4hmin : Yes, I met Day4nanda, Thou
hast also seen him.
Rimakrishna: Yes, I went to see him once.
He was staying in a garden-house not very far
from here. That day he had an appointment
with Keshab Sen. He was a great scholar; he
also beheved in the Devas (perfected spirits),
but Keshab did not, whereupon he said: "If
* Dajftnanda Saraswati was a Sanny&sin of the Advaita
Ved&Qta. School. He was a great Vedic scholar, speaker
and a Hindu refotmer of the nineteenth century. He wrote
Sanskrit Commentaries on the Vedas and was the founder
of a rctonned Hindu Sect known as the "Arya Samftj,"
whfch is now in a flouncing condition. He died in 1883 A.D.
'99
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
God created all these phenomena, could He not
create Devas?" He believed in one God, but
without form. Visvanatha was repeating the
Holy Name of the Lord, "Rima, Rima"; at
this he said: "Better repeat the name ' San-
desha, Sandesha' (sweetmeat, sweetmeat)."
Brahmin: In Benares, DaySnanda had long
theological discussions with the other pandits.
In the end all the pandits unanimously stood on
one side, while he stood alone on the other; and
then the pandits drove him from the city by
raising the outcry: "Day^nanda's position is
false and must not be accepted!" I also saw
Colonel Olcott, the Theosophist. The theoso-
phists believe in the existence of the Mahatmfls,
the realm of the moon, the realm of the sun and
the astral realms. They believe that the astral
bodies go to these places and so on. Revered
Sir, what dost Thou think of Theosophy?
Riimakrishna ; Bhakti, devotion to the Su-
preme, is the only thing worth having. Do they
Devotion (0 seek Bhakti? Then it is good. If
the Saprame. their aim be the realization of God,
then they are all right; but by simply dwelling
upon these realms and Mahatm^s one cannot
search after God, One should practise Sidhana
(devotional exercises) to attain true Bhakti.
u.„..... ...Google
■ GOSPEL OF RAMAKRlSHNA
One should have extreme longing for realiza-
tion. One should gather up all the mental
activities and concentrate them upon Him.
Realization of God does not come so easily; it
requires a great deal of SMhana. A man asked :
"Why can I not see God?" I replied: "If you
wish to catch a big fish, which lives in deep
water, you will have to make many prepara-
tions to attract him. You must get the line,
rod, hook and float; you must put on savory
bait; then when you see bubbles in the water,
you may know that he has come near. Simi-
larly, if you wish to see God, devote yourself to
the practice of true Bhakti."
Bhiktiud A devotee: Which is better
JniM. Bhakti or Jn^na.?
R&makrishna: The highest form of Bhakti
comes through extreme love for God. Three
friends were walking through a forest. A tiger
appeared. One of them cried out: "Brother,
we shall be devoured by the tiger"; the second
said: "Why shall we be devoured? Come, let us
pray to the Lord." Hearing this, the third one
replied: " Oh no, why trouble the Lord? Let us
climb this tree." The man who said, " We shall be
devoured," did not know that the Lord is the pro-
tector of all; he who wished to pray to the Lord
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKIUSHNA ■
was a Jn^ ; he knew that the Lord is the Creator,
Protector and Destroyer of all phenomena;
but the third man, who said, "Why trouble
the Lord, let us climb the tree," was a true
lover of God. He had had the taste of Divine
Love, the highest form of Bhakti. In one
aspect of Divine Love (Prema) the lover thinks
of himself as greater than the object of love;
he has the constant desire to protect the Be-
loved and make Him happy by removing all
troubles and anxieties. The Gopis had true
Prema, or Divine Love.
In Divine Love the sense of "I " and "mine"
exists, as was shown by the mother of the
iMviiw Lon Divine Incarnation, Krishna. For
■od lu T«ri- her, Krishna was only a son and not
muxpccu. jjjg Lo^^j Qf jijg universe. She loved
to nurse Him and take care of Him, always
calling Him "my Krishna," and feeling the
same anxiety about Him that an earthly mother
would feel about her son. When a certain
saint spoke to her, saying; "Your Krishna is
the absolute Master of the world; He is not
human"; Yasoda, the mother of Krishna, re-
plied: "Oh no, He is not the Lord of the uni-
verse; He is my child. I cannot think of Him
as other than my child." Divine Love is mani-
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
fested by various relations ; the closer the rela-
tion, the stronger the tie of love. The relation
of a servant to his master was manifested by
Hanum^ ; the relation of a friend to his friend
was shown by Arjuna to Krishna; while the
Gopis were devoted to the Lord as their Divine
husband.
Some people think that they are bound
(Baddha), that they will never attain to Divine
Wisdom, or to Divine Love. But all this fear
vanishes from the heart of a true disciple if his
Guru, or spiritual guide, be gracious to him.
PwaMcoi There was a tlock of sheep in the
(be ogK. woods ; suddenly a tigress jumped
into their midst. At that moment she gave
birth to a cub and died on the spot. The Hnd-
hearted sheep took care of the cub, and brought
it up among them. They ate grass, the cub
followed their example ; they bleated, the cub
also learned to bleat. In this manner the cub
grew up not as a young tiger but like a sheep.
One day a full-grown tiger came that way
and watched with wonder the grass-eating
tiger. The real tiger drew nearer, but the cub
began to bleat. Then the real tiger dragged
him to the edge of a lake and said: "Look here!
Compare your face with mine. Is there any
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
difference? You are a tiger like me; grass is
not your food; your food is animal flesh." But
the grass-eating tiger could not believe it.
After a long time the real tiger convinced him
that he was of the same species. Then he gave
him a piece of flesh to eat, but he would not
touch it; he began once more to bleat and to
seek for grass. At last, however, the real tiger
forced him to eat animal flesh ; at once he liked
the taste of the blood, gave up his grass-eating
and bleating, and realized that he was not a
sheep but a tiger. He then followed the real
tiger and became hke him.
The human soul is the child of God, but it
does not know it, and therefore it lives like an
HumanMni, o'diiiaiT mortal (sHeep); but when,
iiK eww by the grace of the Guru, he realizes
ofOod. j^g jj^g nature, he becomes free
from all fear and attains to perfection. There-
fore I say, when the grace of the Guru comes,
all fear vanishes. He will make you know who
you are and what you are in reality. You will
have to do very little for yourself after you
have received that grace. You will then be able
to distinguish between the Real and the unreal
and to realize that God is Truth and the world
is unreal.
304
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
A fisherman came to a garden at night and
threw his net in the pond to catch some fish,
hrdu of tbe Hearing the noise, the owner sent
laiMSUhn. jiis jnen t^ capture him. The men
came with torches in their hands to discover the
thief. In the meantime the fisherman dropped
his net, covered his face with ashes and sat
under a tree, pretending to be a holy man
absorbed in meditation. The men could not
find the thief; they simply noticed that a holy
man was meditating under a tree, so they re-
turned to the owner and told him what they
had seen. Everybody then brought flowers,
fruits, and sweets to the holy man and paid
him great honor and respect. Next morning
crowds of people came to see the Sftdhu and
offered to him money and various other things.
The fisherman thought: "How strange it is!
I am not a holy man, still people have so much
respect for me and I have received so many
gifts.* If I become a genuine Sftdhu (Anchoret),
how much more I shall get! Undoubtedly I
shall see God." If merely feigning to be
a holy man could so far awaken him. what
can be said of him who has practised all
virtues in order to become a true holy man I
H^ will realize what is Real and what is
\ ">S
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAXHISHNA
unreal, that God is Truth and the world is
■ unreal.
A devotee; Where shall I meditate on God?
^ RfLmakrishna : The heart is the best place.
Meditate on Him in your heart.
,y Google
CHAPTER Vir
SOME INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF SRI RAMA-
KRISHNA (AS TOLD BY HIMSELF)
I practised austerities for a long time, I
cared very little for the body. My longing iot
Day, of t^c Divine Mother was so great that
ttnta^ I would not eat or sleep. I would
lie on the bare ground, placing my head on a
lump of earth, and cry out loudly: "Mother,
Mother, why dost Thou not come to me?" I
did not know how the days and nights passed '
away, I used to have ecstasy all the time.
I saw my disciples as my own people, like chil-
dren and relations, long before they came to
me. I used to cry before my Mother, saying:
"O Mother! I am dying for my beloved ones
(Bhaktas) ; do Thou bring them to me as quickly
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
At that time whatever I desired came to
pass. Once I desired to btiild a small hut in
the Panchavati * for meditation and to pwt a
AiidoiTM fence around it. Immediately after
fumikd. I sa^ a huge bundle of bamboo sticks,
rope, strings and even a knife, all brought by
the tide in front of the Panchavati. A servant
of the Temple, seeing these things, ran to me
with great delight and told me of them. There
was the exact quantity of material necessary
for the hut and the fence. When they were
built, nothing remained over. Everyone was
amazed to see this wonderful sight.
When I reached the state of continuous ec-
stasy, I gave up all external forms of worship;
I could no longer perform them. Then I
prayed to my Divine Mother: "Mother, who
will now take care of me? I have no power to
take care of myself. I like to hear Thy name
and feed Thy Bhaktas and help the poor. Who
will make it possible for me to do these things?
Send me someone who will be able to do these
for me." As the answer to this prayer came
Mathura BSbu,! who served me so long and
* Five sacred trees planted together to fonn & grove to
be used for contemplation.
I MathuiE Bftbu was the son-in-law of Rtnl R&shmoni;
u.„.... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAERISHNA
with such intense devotion and faithl Again
at another time I said to the Mother: "I shall
have no child of my own, but I wish to have
as my child a pure Bhakta, who will stay with
■ me all the time. Send me such an one." Then
came R&kh^ (Brahm&nanda).
Those who are my own are parts of my very
Self.
In referring to the time of joyous illumina-
tion which immediately followed His enlighten-
ment, He exclaimed:
What a state it was! The slightest cause
aroused in me the thought of the Divine Ideal.
VwtioZooiDf-One day I went to the Zoological
icdOwdca. Garden in Calcutta. I desired espe-
cially to see the lion, but when I beheld him,
I lost all sense-consciousness and went into
Sam&dhi. Those who were with me wished to
show me the other animals, but I replied: "I
saw everything when I saw the king of beasts.
Take me home." The strength of the lion
had aroused in me the consciousness of the
Ibe founder of the Temple garden at Dakshineswara. He
recognized the Divine powers and superhuman character
of Sit K&makiishna and became His devoted disciple.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
omnipotence of God and had lifted me above
the world of phenomena.
Another day I went to the parade-ground to
see the ascension of a balloon. Suddenly my
Divioity eyes fell upon a young English boy
■verywhera. leaning against a tree. The very
posture of his body brought before me the vision
of the form of Krishna and I went into SamSdhi.
Again I saw a woman wearing a blue garment
under a tree. She was a harlot. As I looked
at her, instantly the ideal of Sita * appeared
before me! I forgot the existence of the harlot,
but saw before me pure and spotless Sit A,
approaching R&ma, the Incarnation of Divinity,
and for a long time I remained motionless. I
worshipped all women as representatives of the
Divine Mother. I realized the Mother of the
universe in every woman's form.
Mathura B^bu, the son-in-law of RSshmoni,
invited me to stay in his house for a few days.
At that time I felt so strongly that I was the
maid -servant of my Divine Mother that I
thought of myself as a woman. The ladies of
the house had the same feeling; they did not
* Sitft was the consort of RfLma, the Divine Incaination
and the Hero of Rftrnftyana. She was the perfect type of
womanhood according to the Hindus.
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
look Upon me as a man. As women are free
before a young girl, so were they before me.
My mind was above the consciousness of sex.
What a Divine state it was! I could not eat
here in the Temple. I would walk from place
to place and enter into the house of strangers
after their meal hour. I would sit there quietly,
without uttering a word. When questioned, I
would say, "I wish to eat here." Immediatdy
they would feed me with the best things they
had.
iii
Once I heard of a poor Brahmin who was a
true devotee and who lived in a small hut in
VMttoapoor BaghbazSr. I desired to see him, so
BrtbmiD. J asked Mathura B&bu to take me to
him. He consented, immediately ordered a
large carriage and drove me there. The Brah-
min's house was so small that he scarcely had
room to receive us, and he was much surprised
to see me coming with such a rich man in such
a carriage !
At another time I wished to meet Devendra
Nath TSgore.* He is a very rich man, but in
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKBISHNA
spite of his enormous wealth he is devoted to
vwi to De- ^*^ ^"*^ repeats His Holy Name. For
vndn Kith this reason I desired to know him.
Tiion. J gpQjjg about him to Mathura
Babu. He replied: "Very weU, B4ba, I will
take Thee to him; he was my classmate." So
he took me and introduced me to him, saying;
"This holy man has come to see you. He is
m&d after God." I saw in him a little pride
and egotism. It is natural for a man who has
so much wealth, culture, fame and social posi-
tion. I said to Mathura Babu: "Tell me, does
pride spring from true wisdom or from igno-
rance? He who has attained to the highest
knowledge of Brahman cannot possess pride or
egotism, such as 'I am learned,' 'I am wise,' 'I
am rich,' and so on." While I was speaking
with Devendra N^th T^gore, I went into a
state from where I could see the true character
of every individual. In this state the most
a follower of Rfljfl Rflmmohun Roy, the founder of the
Adi Bilhmo Samlj, and in 1844 he became the Achiiya,
or the spiritual leader of this Theiatic Hindu Church. During
the latter pari of his life he retired from the wodd and de-
voted his time entirely to spiritual studies. ' He was regarded
by the Hindus as [he "Mahaishi," or the holy man of his
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAERlSHNA
learned pandits and scholars appear to me like
blades of grass. When I see that scholars have
neither true discrimination nor dispassion, then
I feel that they are like straws; or they seem
like vultures who soar high in the heavens, but
keep their minds on the chamel-pits below on
the earth. In Devendra I found both spiritual
knowledge and worldly desire. He has a num-
ber of children, some of whom are quite young.
A doctor was present. I said; "When you
have so much spiritual knowledge, how can
you live constantly in the midst of so much
worldliness? You are like Rttj4 Janaka; you
can keep your mind on God, remaining amid
worldly pleasures and luxury. Therefore I
have come to see you. Tell me something of
the Divine Being." Devendra then read some
passages from the Vedas and said: "This world
is like a chandelier, and each Jiva (individual
soul) is like a light in it." Long ago, when I
spent nearly all my time meditating at the
Panchavati, I saw the same thing. When De-
vendra 's words harmonized with my experience,
I knew that he miwt have attained to some true
knowledge. I asked him to explain. He said:
"Who would have known this world? God has
created man to manifest His glory. If there
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
were no light in the chandelier, it would be all
dark. The chandelier itself would not be
visible." After a long conversation Devendra
N4th Tigore begged me to come to the anni-
versary of the Brahmo-Samij . I answered:
"If it be the will of the Lord. I go wherever
He takes me."
Padmalochana was the niost eminent scholar
in the court of the RSja of Burdwan. He came
vtiit to p«a- to a garden-house near Dakshines-
■utochMM. wara, and as I had a desire to meet
him, I sent Hridai to find out whether he had
pride or not. I learned that he was simple and
absolutely free from scholarly pride, so I went
to see him. He was indeed a great scholar and
a true Jn^i. He defeated all the great pandits
and theologians. He said that when he was in
the court of the R^ja a theological discussion
arose regarding the Hindu Trinity, — whether
the first person of the Trinity, Brahm^, was
greater than the third person of the Trinity,
Shiva. The pandits referred to him for the
final decision and Padmalochana replied: "I
have seen neither Brahm^ nor Shiva; how can
I decide?" He wished to hear me sing the
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
praises of my Divine Mother. I had a long
conversation with him. He became truly de-
voted to me and said: "I have never found so
much happiness anywhere." He revered me
although I used to cry for my Divine Mother
like a child.
Nothing but discourses on God appealed to
me at this period. If I heard worldly conver-
DiitMtefar satioH, I woiild sit in a comer and
woridtrcoif weep bitterly. When I went with
vtnooa. Mathura Bibu to Benares. I was
sitting with him in the drawing-room when some
friends came in to see him and began to discuss
worldly affairs. "So much we have gained, so
much we have' lost." Hearing this I was in
tears and cried aloud : " Mother, why hast Thou
brought me here? I was much better off in
the Temple. I have come to the Holy City
to hear only of lust and, gold ; but there in the
Temple I did not have to listen to such con-
versation."
I was at this time like a young boy and so
Mathura B&bu fulfilled all the desires that arose
in my mind. My heart and soul, however,
were constantly longing to hear about the
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Supreme Being. I searched for the places where
Lon^nf to ^^^ Holy Scripturcs were expounded.
bur about THefe was a Brahmin in the neigh-
tbc Supreme, ^jq^jjooj ^Jjq .^^g g^ great pandit
and who had true faith. I used to go to hear
him very often. A saint lived near by on the
bank of the Ganges and I wished to go with
this Brahmin to see him; but a priest who
looked upon the world as a dream discouraged
me bysaying: "The body of a saint is an earthly
cage; what good can one obtain by visiting such
a cage?" I spoke of this to the Brahmin and
he replied: "He who thinks of God, he who re-
peats His Holy Name and has renounced every-
thing for the sake of the Lord, must not be re-
garded as an earthly cage. The priest does not
know that the form of a devotee is a spiritual
form full of Divine intelligence." This Brih-
min once asked me why I had thrown away my
Br^hminical thread. I replied: "When the
storm of Divine ecstasy overtook my heart and
soul, it blew away all signs of caste and creed.
If you once become mad after God, then you
will understand me." But after some time this
Brahmin himself caught the madness of Divine
ecstasy. He would utter nothing but "Om,
Om," and sit in silence in his own room. He
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
would not mix with or speak to anyone. His
friends and relatives called in physicians. He
told one of them; "You can cure my disease,
but do not take my 'Om' from me." Once I
went to see him. when he was in this state. 1
asked him what was the matter and he answered :
"The tax-collectors have been here and I am
wondering what I shall do. They said that they
would seize my belongings." I replied: "What
will you gain by thinking in this way? Let
them sell your belongings. If they put you in
jail, they cannot harm you, because you say
that you are nothing but (Kha) infinite space."
I would often repeat this, his own statement, to
him and say; "As you are infinite space, no tax
can be drawn out of you."
During this period I was absolutely out-
spoken, I observed no formality or etiquette;
AiMointB I was fearless. Once I met a rich
'™"'"^ Zemindar and asked him: "What is
our highest duty? Is not the attainment of
God our highest duty?" He replied: "We are
men of the world; salvation is not for us. When
• ai7
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
even Yudhisthira,* the purest and most per-
fect of mortals, had to see pulsatory in a vision
because he had once wavered for half a second
from absolute Truth, what can we expect for
ourselves?" I could not bear his words and
rebuked him sharply, sajnng: "What kind of
man are you, that you think of the momentary
vision of purgatory? You must not think of
that, but of Yudhisthira 's truthfulness, forgive-
ness, patience, right discrimination, renuncia-
tion, devotion and lovp for God,"
At another time I went to see a Zemindar
who had the title of Ri.jfL, and I told him plainly
that I could not call him Kkjk because be was
not really one.
One day I saw a pious Brflhmin who was
counting his beads on the bank of the Ganges,
I stood near him and knew that his mind was
not fixed on God but on earthly things. Im-
mediately I roused him by striking him on the
shoulder. At another time R4shmom, the
founder of the Temple, was pras^ng in the Tem-
ple while I was singing the holy song of the
Divine Mother. I perceived that her mind was
* Yudhisthira was the Hero of the MahAbbftrata and the
Hindu empeior of ancient India.
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
6n worldly objects and instantly I roused her in
the same manner. In amazement she folded
her hands and remained motionless before me.
Keshab Chunder Sen was suffering from a
serious illness. Bhagav^n Sri Ramakrishna
vutto was very anxious to see him, so He
Keahab Sen. came one day with a few of His dis-
ciples to Keshab's home, where Hd was received
by some of Keshab's disciples. They led Him
to the drawing-room and seated Him on a couch.
The room was fitted up with modem furniture.
The Bhagav^n looked at it for a moment; then
His mind turned within and He went into
SamMhi. After recovering sense -consciousness,
He spoke thus:
There are two, the physical body and the
Atman; the body is bom, so it must die, but
Bodyuid Atman is deathless. It is separate
Aimui. irom the body, like a nut in the shell;
but when the nut is unripe, it is difficult to
separate the kernel from the shell; so it is with
worldly people who have not realized God.
Their Atman remains attached to the body;
but in true knowledge the Atman appears as
^parate from the body.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKJtISHNA
At this moment Keshab entered the room.
He was extremely thin and looked almost like
a skeleton. He could hardly stand on his feet.
With great difficulty he walked to the couch
and sat at the feet of Bhagav^n Srt Rfona-
krishna. The Bhagavin came down from the
couch and sat on the floor. Keshab touched his
forehead to the floor and remained prostrate
before Him for some time. R4makrishna held
Keshab 's hand and said:
So long as there is knowledge of variety, so
long there is bondage. When perfect knowledge
comes, man realizes one Spirit in all.
Pviacl KBOwl- _ , , , , ,
edi> brinn In that state he also sees that the same
rtaUnUon Q^e has become the individual soul,
and the phenomenal world with its
various states and elements. It is true that
the Universal Spirit dwells everywhere, but
His manifestation varies. In some places there
is greater manifestation and in others less.
Wherever there is greater manifestation of the
Spirit, there is also greater manifestation of
Divine Powers.
First you will have to realize unity by dis-
crimination: "Not this, not this." Then after
reaching this state of realization, when you
come down to phenomena, you will discover that
u.y.... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
variety has come from unity and the same unity
UaHyaad is the goal of variety. The diflfef-
virixy. gn(.g in (jjg naanifestation of Sakti
or power makes the variety. When the flood
of spiritual realization comes in the soul, hke a
sheet of water the Universal Spirit covers every-
thing. All distinctions vanish. Then a boat
can pass over a field aod the way from one
place to another becomes straight across the
water.
Keshab was Hstening with rapt attention.
Although the room was crowded, absolute silence
prevailed. The Bhagavftn, looking at Keshab,
then asked:
How are jrou? How do you feel? You are
suffering; but your illness has a deep meaning.
Mawnoioi ^^ *^^^ body you have gone through
Kuhab'* various stages of spiritual develop.
■***■ ment ; the body is now suffering from
the reaction. When the spiritual waves arise,
the consciousness of the body vanishes; but it
tells upon the body in the end. When a big
steamer plies in the waters of the Ganges, I
have seen the waves dash against the shore
for some time after; the larger the boat, the
stronger the waves ; sometimes they break down
the banks. If an elephant enters a small hut^
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
it shakes it and breaks it to pieces; so when the
elephant of the spiritual Ideal enters into the
body, it shakes and sometimes shatters it.
What happens; do you know? If there be a
fire in the house, it bums up many things.
Similarly, the fire of Divine Wisdom bums
all passion, anger and other enemies, and in
the end destroys the sense of "I, me and mine."
The body is then wrenched and shattered.
You may think that everjlhing is finished,
but so long as there is the least sign of illness,
so long He will not make you free. If you
enroll yourself as a patient in a hospital, you
cannot come out before you are absolutely
cured.
Keshab began to smile. The Bhagav4n con-
tinued: Hridai Vised to say, after seeing the
condition of my body: "I have never seen so
much spirituality with such a state of body!"
But although my body was weak, still I never
stopped talking of God with others. At one
time, I remember; I was thin like a skeleton,
yet I would continue discussions on spiritual
subjects for hours.
Then shedding tears of sympathy for Keshab,
the Bhagavan said: It is His will. Everything
happens by Thy will, Lord! Thou doest Thy
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
work; by mistake people say, "I do," The
Evcrythina gardener sometimes uncovers the'
the win oi roots of rose-bushes that the dew
may fall upon them. Sometimes he
trims off some of the roots so that the flowers
will become larger. Perhaps the Lord is pre-
paring you to do greater work. But I feel very
unhappy when you are ill. Last time when
you were ill, I was so anxious about you that
I would cry at night and pray to my Divine
Mother for your recovery. Sometimes I said
to my Mother: "If Keshab passes away, with
whom shall I talk about God?" But this time
I do not feel the same way.
At this moment Keshab's aged mother came
near the door and addressed the Bhagavan, say-
ing: "May Keshab be cured of his illness?"
The Bhagavin replied: Pray to my blissful
Divine Mother. She will remove all pain and
trouble. (To Keshab) Do not spend so much
time with your family and children. Their
company will drag you to worldliness. You
wilt feel better it you think of God and talk
about Him.
Keshab's mother said: Do Thou bless my
Keshab.
R&makrishna: What power have I? God
233
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAERISHNA
will bless him. Thou doest Thy work, O Divine
Mother! People say by mistake, "I do it."
Two are the occasions when the Lord smiles.
First, when brothers lemove the chains which
partition off the family property, saying: "This
is mine and that is thine"; and secondly, when
the phy^cian of a dying patient declares: "1
shall make him live."
Keshab then began to cough and could not
remain longer, so he bowed down before the
BhagavSn, saluted Him, and with great diffi-
culty walked out of the room. Keshab 's eldest
son was there. A Br^famo devotee said: Bha-
gavan, lay Thy hand on his head and bless him.
Ribnakrishna replied: It is not for me to
bless anyone.
He then gently touched him on his arm and
said to the BrMimo devotee: I cannot say to
anyone, "Be thou cured." I never asked my
Divine Mother for that power. I simply ask
for pure love and nothing else.
Sri RAmakrishna then rose to leave. Ke-
shab's disciples accompanied Him to the door
with great reverence, and He passed from the
house with His disciples.
U.g.V6c.y Google
CHAPTER VIII
FEAST AT THE GARDEN-HOUSE OF SITRENDRA.*
Sri RAmakkishna was invited by one of His
beloved disciples, Surendra, a householder, to
a feast made in his garden-hoiise at Kankur-
gichi near Calcutta.
These feasts were invariably occasions for the
gathering of His disciples, devotees and ad-
mirers. They were times of real festivity and
rejoicing, during which the Holy Name of God
was chanted to the accompaniment of Mridangas
and other musical instruments. All the while
the Bhagav^ could be seen at His best, sing-
ing, dancing with the joy of the Lord, and fre-
quently lost in that blessed state of ecstasy or
Samfldhi. When the singing of devotional
* See note page 17;.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
hymns and the spiritual excitement which
came with it were over, the company present
would be treated by the Bhagav^ to one of
those celestial conversations, so laden with ser-
mons for the spiritual welfare of htmianity,
which will never die in the memory of those
who had the rare privilege of listening to Him.
The first part of the day was given to San-
Idrtan (singing forth the Name of the Lord).
They were singing the songs telling of the
separation of the Gopis from the Lord SH
Krishna, who had gone to Mathur&. In the
course of the songs, the Bhagav&n was fre-
quently in a state of Sam4dhi. They were
singing. Suddenly He rose to His feet, saying:
" O my friend, do thou bring my beloved Krish-
na to me or take me over to the place where
He is." The Bhagavftn, it would appear, had
merged His personality in that of RUdhi,* the
chief of the Gopis. He realized that He and
Rftdh& were one. With those words He stood
UmahrUih Speechless and motionless, with fixed
M'lecrtMy. half-closed eyes that moved not,
evidently having lost all sense -consciousness.
Coming to Himself, He again, in a voice that
,„,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
drew tears from the eyes of those who heard
Him, cried out: "O my friend, do me this favor
and I shall be thy most devoted servant.
Remember it was thon that taughtest me my
love for the Beloved."
The chorus went on singing. RSdha was
made in the song to say: "O! I will not go to
the bank of the Jamuna to draw water, for
coming up to the Kadaroba tree I am put in
mind of my own, my Beloved." Ramakrishna,
heaving a sigh, said, "Ah, me!" As the chorus
chanted aloud the name of the Lord, the Bhaga-
vkn was again on His feet and in SamMhi,
Recovering His sense-consciousness. He could
only repeat inarticulately: "Kitma, Kitma,"
for "Krishna. Krishna."
The Sankirtan was brought to a close by the
Bhagav^n Himself leading the chorus in the
well-known piece: "Victory to RMhS., Victory
to Govinda." and dancing with His disciples, •
who formed a ring around Him.
The dancing and singing had all taken place in
the reception -hall. The Bhagav^n then with-
The nudiwu drew into one of the adjoining rooms
otiov«rar to the west. To a disciple He said,
the Lord. talking of the Gopis: How wonder-
ful was their devotion 1 At the sight of the
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
TamSl tree they were seized with the very mad-
ness of love.
Disciple: This was also the case with Chai-
tanya. Looking at the forest he thought it was
VrindS-van, the sacred birthplace of Sri Krishna,
that was before him !
Bhagavan: Oh! if anyone is but favored
with a single particle of this ecstatic love!
What devotion! What intense love! Of this
devotion they not only had the full complement
(sixteen Annas) but a great deal more than the
full complement — five SikSs and five Annas!
This is called the madness of Divine Love,
The chief thing is to have intense love and
sincere and earnest longing for God. On what-
ever path you may travel, whether you believe
in the Divinity with or without form, whether
you have faith in God-incarnate in a human
form or not.— if you have intense love and sin-
cere longing for Him, you are sure to attain to
Him. He alone knows what He is like. He
Himself will make you realize His Divine
Nature, Why should you be mad after the
things of the world? If you must be mad,
be mad for God. There is a madness of Divine
Love, a madness of Bhakti, or ecstasy, and a
madness of Jn^na. RAdhi had the madness of
at%
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Divine Love. Hanum^n showed the madness
of true devotion. When SitS was forced by
Rima to prove her chastity by going through
the ordeal of fire, HanumAn, although a devotee
of Rllma, was so maddened that he wished to
kill his Lord, the Divine Incarnation. I saw a
true JnSni, who wandered like a madman.
He came to the Temple garden. He had so
realized the oneness of the Spirit in every living
creature that when he saw a dog eating the
remains of a dish, he held him by the ears and
said: "Brother, wilt thou eat all?" He then
took a portion and ate with the dog. He said
to Hridrai: "When the holy waters of the
Ganges and the water of the gutter appear the
same, then will come the realization of Divine *
oneness."
At one time I had this madness. I used to
walk like a madman, seeing the same Spirit
everywhere and recognizing neither high nor
low in caste or creed. I could eat even with a
Pariah. I had the constant realization that
Brahman is Truth and the world is unreal like
a dream. Once Mathura Bibu took me in a
boat. The Mohammedan crew were cooking
and I was about to eat with them, but Mathura
B&bu would not let me. In that state I used to
jag
u.t,n;« ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
bow down before everybody and would ask
them to repeat the Holy Name of the Lord.
As in a violent storm a screen of dust rises,
hiding the trees of different kinds and making
all trees appear alike, so in that stonn of spiritual
vision I could not distinguish one man from
another as high or low.
A devotee: Bhagavan, how can a man Uve
in the world and experience any of these kinds
of madness?
Sri RSmakrishBa: These states are not for
those who are living in the world and perform-
ing the duties of the world, but for those
who have absolutely renounced internally and
externally. External renunciation is not for
those who live in the world. They should practise
internal renunciation or mental non-attachment.
(To a disciple) A man brought a bottle of
wine; I went to touch it but could riot.
Disciple: Why, Bhagavan?
Ramakrishna: When Divine bliss is attained,
one becomes intoxicated with it, he does not
EHviiuiatoxi- need to drink wine. When I see
"*'»"■ the feet of my Divine Mother, I feel
as intoxicated as if I had drunk five bottles of
wine. In this state one cannot eat anything
and everything.
u.,M,»...,Googlc
-rf^d'
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Disdple: As regards eating, one should eat
hat one gets.
R4makrishna : That depends upon the spirit-
al state. In the path of Jnina that produces no
^ [or harm; whena JnAni eats, he pours the
BUrta. food as an offering in the fire of Kunda-
ni. But for a Bhakta it is different. A Bhakta
lould eat only pure food, such food as he can
eely ofEer to his Beloved Lord. Animal food is
3t for a Bhakta. But at the same time, I must
ly, if a man ioves God after eating the flesh
: a pig, he is blessed, and wretched is the man
ho hves on milk and rice, but whose mind is
-.osorbed in lust and gold. Once I took as
mantram the name of Allah from a Mohammedan
teacher and repeated the name for several days
and ate their food, .
The Bhagavin then came back into the hall
followed Jjy His disciples and seated Himself.
A pillow was placed for Him to recline upon.
Before touching it, He said, "Om tat sat" (Brah- -
man is the only Reality). The pillow was, of
course, one which had been used by the unholy
men of the world, and the Bhagav4n was purity
itself. It was getting late, but no dinner was
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
being served and the Bhagav^n became a little
impatient like a child. Surendra, the host,
was a beloved disciple of the Lord. The
Bhagavan said : Surendra 's disposition has
grown admirable. He is very generous; those
who go to him for help never come away dis-
appointed. Then he is very outspoken. He
is bold enough to speak the. truth.
In this age truthfulness is the best of all
ascetic practices. He who is firm in truthful-
ness attains to God. Lack of tnith-
TrulhfnliicsL .
fulness destroys all virtue. For this
reason, when I say anything even inadvertently,
such as, "I shall go there. I shall do that,"
I must go, because I have said it. I may lose
my firmness in truthfulness if I do not keep my
word to the very letter. Openness as opposed
to dissimulation is the fruit of the practice of
many religious austerities in one's previous
incarnations. In a well-known song by Tulsi
Das* it is said: "Give up dissimulation and
• Tulsi DSs was a great Hindu poet who lived betweea
1544 and 1624 A.D. He was a devoted worshipper of Rflma.
His Hindi poem, "R9mSyana," or hjsloty of RSma, aa
well BS ProverbE and other verses, are to this day household
words in every town and niral district ithtn die Bindi lai^
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
cunning." Do you not see that whenever God
has taken a human form, this great virtue of
guilelessness has never failed to come to view?
Look at Dasaratha, the father of Rllma. and
Nanda Ghosh, the father of Srt Krishna. They
were both free from guile. (To a young dis-
ciple) Like men of the world, you have ac-
cepted a position, but you are working for
your mother. Otherwise I should have said:
"For shame! For shame! You must serve
only the Lord." (To Mani MuUik) This young
man is open and guileless to a degree; only
nowadays he occasionally tells untruths, that
is all. The other day he said that he would
come to see me, but he did not. (To Mahendra)
You went to see BhagavHn DSs; how did you
like him?
Mahendra: Yes, Revered Sir, I went to see
him. The great Vaishnava sage has become
very old. He was lying down when I saw him;
a disciple put some food into his mouth. He
can hear only when addressed in loud tones.
After hearing Thy name, he said to me: "You
need not fear anything. Rsimakrishna is a
...Google
COSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
■]-i;x-,*[f Manifestation. To worship His name
js [.■. «\^rship God."
^^^TV Mahima came in and the Bhagavfln ex-
,-.!ffiTS«>t r This is a visit quite unexpected ! We
^y,i(\-l at most a shallop in this poor river of
/ai-s. \tt here comes a ship! But then it is the
■-sjnv season !
The conversation next turned on the spiritual
jif^-t of feasts and the Bhagavin said to
X^hima: Why is it that people are fed at a
t^st? Do you not think that it is the same as
,*ffering a sacrifice to God who is the Living
l^ire in all creatures? But bad men, not God-
ivaring, guilty of adultery and fornication,
^ould on no account be entertained at a feast.
Their sins are so great that several cubits of
earth beneath the place where they eat become
polluted.
Protftp Chunder Mozoorndftr,* a member of
the BrShmo-Samftj , entered and saluted Sri
rotSp Chunder Mozoomdlr is well known in America
. Mozoomdar. He was a co-workerof Keshab Chunder
>d became a leader of the "New Dispensation" seel of
rahmo-Samaj. He rame to the Parliament of Re-
i at Chicago in t893 A.D,, and delivered addivsses in
'3*
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
K&makrishna. The Bhagavan. as usual, re-
turned his salutation with His well-known
modesty, bowing very low. Mozoomdar said;
Revered Sir, I have recently been to Darj«eling.
Srt Ramakiishna : But you do not appear to
be much the better for the change. What is
the matter with you?
Mozoomd^r: The same complaint to which
Keshab Chunder Sen succumbed,
A certain Mahratta lady was then spoken of,
Uozoomd^r said that she had been to England
and had embraced Christianity. He.asked the
Bhagav&n whether He had ever heard of the
woman. The Bhagavan repHed: No, but from
what I hear from you, I should think she must
be a person who wishes to make a name for her-
Efotuarim ^^^^- ^gotism of this kind is not
iraiaipM>- good. Those who seek for fame are
"""■ under a delusion. "I do this or
that," this sense arises from ignorance. But
"0 Lord, Thou art doing everything" is true
many principal cities ot America. He was the amhor of
flie "Oriental Chrisl." In iS^g he wrote his celebrated
aiticie on " RAmakrishna," which was published in the .
Theiitk Quarterly RaiUw of India; and which was iocor-
ponited with "My Master" by Swimi VivelULnanda.
235
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
knowledge. God is the real Actor, others are
actors in name only.
The calf says, "H4mmi" or " Aham" (I).
Now look at the troubles caused by the self which
Tk(«io says "I, I." In the first place, the
•*■""- calf is sometimes taken into the field
where it is yoked to the plough. It is there
made to work on from morning till evening,
alike in the sun and in the rain. Its troubles
are not yet over. It is very often killed by the
btitcher. Its flesh is eaten as meat. Its skin
is tanned.into hides which are then made into
shoes. The sufferings of the calf in this state
know no bounds. But that is not all. Drums
are made with the skin which is thus merci-
lessly heaten, sometimes with the hand and
sometimes with the drumstick. It is only when
out of its entrails are made strings for the bows
used for carding cotton that the troubles of the
poor creature are over. And that is because it
no longer says. "HammS. Hamm4" (I, I), but
"Tuhum, Tuhum" (It is Thou, O Lord! It is
Thou!). Similarly, when Jiva.{ego), says, "0
Lord ! Not I but Thou art the doer and actor,
I am merely an instrument in Thy hand," it
becomes free from all the world's troubles and
attains to absolute freedom from birth and
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKBISHNA
rebirth in this world of sorrow and sufEer-
ing.
A devotee: How can Jiva become free from
egoism (Ahamk^ra)?
BhagavSn: Egoism does not leave until one
has realized God. If anyone has become ab-
solutely free from egoism (Aharak^ra) you must
know that that person has seen and realized
Divinity.
Devotee: Revered Sir, what are the signs of
one who has seen and realized God ?
BhagavSn: The signs of one who has seen
God are thus described in Bhagavatam. There
siniioraiw ^^^ ^°"^ kinds. First, His conduct
who hu rao- is like that of a child. A truly wise
man who has seen the Lord becomes
like a child. A child has no real egoism. He
is not bound by any custom. The self of the ,
child is nothing at all like the self of the grown-
up man. The second sign is that one who has
seen God does not care for his body or his dress.
Purity and impurity seem to him the same.
Third, Such an one sometimes acts like a mad-
man, now laughing, now weeping, and the next
moment talking to himself; now dressed like a
B4bu (gentleman) and now taking his one gar-
ment under his arm and going quite naked like
»37
u.,M,».. .-Google
GOSPEL OF KAMAKRISHNA
a child. Lastly, he may remain inert and motion-
less for a long time in the state of Samidhi.
Devotee: After God-vision does egoism
(Ahamk^ra) disappear entirely ?
Bhagavfhn: Sometimes the Lord wipes out the
last stain of egoism, as in the state of Sam4dhi.
Again, sometimes He leaves a faint trace of ego-
ism, but that is harmless. It is Uke that of an
innocent child, who knows not the doing of in-
jury to anyone. The steel sword is turned into
gold by the touch of the Philosopher's Stone,
It still retains its shape but it does not injure
anyone.
BhagavS^i to MozoomdJlr: You have been to
England and America. Tell me all about what
you saw there.
Mozoomd&r: Sir, people in England mostly
worship what Thou callest K^chan (gold), but
there are some good men and women who are
not so attached to worldhness. Generally
speaking, one sees nothing but worldly activity
(Rajas) everywhere from beginning to end.
Bhagavin: I have seen the same thing too.
Why in England and America alone? Attach-
Anuhnwat ment to work is to be found in
to work. every country. That worldly ac-
tivity is the first chapter of life. So long
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
as the Rajas quality predominates, attach-
ment to work increases. One cares more
for one's own worldly good, — riches, honor,
fame. It gradually leads to ignorance which
makes one forget God, the Reality of the uni-
verse. God cannot be realized until the Sattwa
qualities, such as devotion, right discrimina-
tion, dispassion and compassion for all, prevail.
All attachment to lust and gold proceeds from
Rajas and Tamas qualities, but work cannot
be renounced entirely. Propelled by nature
. (Prakriti) you plunge into work even against
your wish. Therefore I say you should work
with non-attachment ; in other words, you
should work without seeking the fruit.
In a great religious ceremony we give alms
to the poor and do various other charitable
works and may think that we are absolutely
unattached to the results of such works, but in
the end we find that the desire for name and
fame has crept up in the heart, we do not
know how. But he alone who has seen and
realized God can become absolutely unattached
to work and its result,
A devotee: What is the path for those who
have not realized God? Is it necessary for
them to give up all work and worldly activity?
"39
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
R4niakrishna: In this age (Kali-Yuga) the
path of devotion and love (Bhakti-Yoga) is
Path of easy for all. The practice of Narada's
derotioii. Bhaikti is better adapted to this
Yuga. One should repeat the Holy Name of
the Lord and chant His praises and with earnest
and sincere heart, pray to Him, saying: "OLord,
grant me Thy divine Wisdom, Thy divine Love.
Do Thou open my eyes and make me realize
Thee."
"When Karma Yoga is so difficult to practice,
one should pray to the Lord in this manner:
"O Lord! Do Thou reduce our Karma to a
minimum, and the little work that we daily
perform, may we do it with non-attachment
by Thy grace. O Lord! Do not let our desire
for work increase in number and bind us to
worldliness. "
Devotee : People of the West (in England and
America) always say, "Work, work, work. " Is
Is work the not work (Karma) then the end and
idmofui.? aim of life?
Ramakrishna : The end and aim of life is the
attainment of God. Work (Karma) is nothing
but the first chapter of life; how can it be its
end and aim? But work, without seeking the
result, is a means, not the end.
,, Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
No one, however, can avoid work (Karma).
Every mental action is a Kanna, " I am
thinking," "I meditate," "I feel," each of these
is a Karma. The more one attains to true
devotion the less becomes one's worldly work.
The pleasures of the world do not satisfy such a
soul. They lose their charm. How can one
who has tasted the Sherbet made with pure
crystallized sugar be pleased with the taste of a
drink made with molasses or treacle? On one
occasion a Karma Yogi (Sambhu) said to me:
"May Thy blessing be that my wealth be spent
in building hospitals and dispensaries, in
making roads, in sinking wells for travelers,
in establishing schools, colleges, and in other
goodworks." Whereupon I rephed: "Sambhu,
all these works are good when they are per-
formed with non -attachment. But that is very
difficult. In any case you should always keep
in mind that the end and aim of your human
existence is the attainment of God and not
hospitals and dispensaries. Suppose the Lord
appears before you and graciously offers to
fulfill your desires. Will you then pray for
dispensaries and hospitals, tanks and wells,
roads and serais, or will you say: 'O Lord!
Grant that I may have pure and unalloyed
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRlSSNA
love for Thee and unswerving devotion to Thy '
feet, that I may always feel Thy presence and
realize Thee under all conditions ' ? " Hospitals,
dispensaries and all these things are transitory ;
God alone is the Reality, all else is unreal.
Once placed face to face with the Vision Divine,
we see them as no better than dreams, and then
we pray for more light, more wisdom, more
Divine Love, the love which lifts a man to God,
the love which makes us realize that we are
really sons of the Supreme Being, of whom all
that can be said is that He exists, that He is
Knowledge itself in the highest sense, and that
He is the Eternal Fountain of Love and Bliss.
AHaiaiwot of Again, when one attains to God-
•Qot-iMaa. vision, one feels that God alone is the
real Actor in the universe, the Doer of all things,
and that we can do nothing. If God does every-
thing, then why, instead of realizing Him, shall
we get entangled in the meshes of worldly
works? First realize God; then, if it be His will,
many hospitals and dispensaries may be estab-
lished. Therefore, I say, never lose sight of this
goal of life that I have pointed out for you, but'
move onward through the practices of devotion
and love. When you have advanced far enough ,
you will know that God alone is the Reality,
34a
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRlStlNA
that all the things of the world are unreal and
that the highest end and aim of life is the
attainment of God.
There was a wood-cutter who led a very
miserable life with the small means he could
PwaMsofa prociu^ by daily selling a load of
wood-cvttBT. ^ood brought from a neighboring
forest. Once a Sannyftsin, who was passing
that way, saw him at work and advised him to
go ftirther into the forest, saying; "Move on-
ward, my child, move onward." The wood-
cutter obeyed the injunction and proceeded on-
ward until he came to a sandalwood-tree, and
being much pleased, he took away with him as'
many sandal logs as he could carry, sold them
in the market and derived much profit. Then
he began to wonder within himself why the
good Sanny^sin had not told him anything
about the wood of the sandal-tree, but had
simply advised him to move onward. So the
next day he went on beyond the place of the
sandalwood until he came upon a copper-mine,
and he took with him all the copper that he
could carry, and selling it in the market, got
more money by it. Next day, without stopping
at the copper-mine, he proceeded further still,
as the Sadhu had advised him to do, and he
343
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
came upon a silver-mine and took with him as
much of it as he could cany, sold it and got
even more money, and so daily proceeding
further and further, he found gold-mines and
diamond-mines and at last became exceedingly
rich. Such is also the case with the man who
aspires after true Knowledge. If he does not
stop in his progress after attaining a few extra-
ordinary and supernatural powere, he at last
becomes really rich in the eternal knowledge of
Truth.
So go on, my children, and never lose sight of
your ideal! Go onward and never stop until
you have reached the goal. Arriving at a par-
ticular stage, do not get the idea that you have
reached your journey's end. Work is only the
first stage of the journey. Bear in mind that
doing works unattached is exceedingly difficult,
that therefore Bhakti Yoga, the path of love,
is better suited to this age, and that work,
even if unattached, is not the end of your
life, but only a means to an end. So march
on and never halt till you have come up to
the great Ideal of your life — the realization of
God.
Referring to lectures given by members of
reUgious bodies Uke the Brahmo Sam&j and
.„.,... ...Google
GOSPEL OF EAMAK.RISHNA
Harisabha,* the BhagavSn said : One can form
LMtontaad *" estimate of a man from the lec-
Mrmoiuai tures he delivers. A pandit was lectur-
'''*"'*™* ing as the preceptor (Acharya) of a
certain Haiisabha. In the course of his sermon
be said: "The Lord has not Rasa (sweetness).
Let us make Him sweet by giving Him our love
and devotion." By sweetness he meant love
and tenderness.
It reminded me of the story in which a boy
was trying to convince his friends that his uncle
SWry ot ■ boy ^^^ * great many horses by saying
umHwcow- he had a whole cow-house full of
*''™*'' horses. Of course any intelligent
person could at once see that a cow-house was not
the same as a stable and that horses are never
kept in a cow-house. What would people think
after hearing such absurd statements? They
would laugh and come to the conclusion that
the uncle had no horses at all. See how absurd
it is to say that God is devoid of sweetness, God
who is the Fountain-head of all sweet and tender
qualities !
Then turning to Mozoomd^r the BhagavSn
said: You are an educated and intelligent man,
* HarisabM is an orthodox Hindu Society.
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL bF RAMAKRISHNA
you are a deep thinker. Keshab and yourself
were like the brothers Gour * (Chaitanya) and
Netai-t You have had enough of this world —
enough of lectures, controversies, schisms and
the rest. Do you still care for them? Now,
it is high time for you to collect your scattered
mind and turn towards God. Plunge into the
ocean of Divinity.
Mozoomd&r: Yes, Revered Sir, that I ought
to do. There is no doubt about it. But all
this I do simply to preserve Keshab's name and
reputation.
R&makrishna (smiUng) : You beHeve that you
are doing all this, as you say, for Keshab, but
Story of ■ after a while this idea will change
■nan uHi bu and you will think differently. Let
""*"' me tell you a story. A man built a
cottage on a mountain-top. It cost him hard
labor and much money. After a few days
there arose a cyclone and the cottage began to
rock to and fro. He was very anxious to save
* "Gout" is the abbreviated fonn of "Gour&nga," another
name of Chaitanya. See note page 7.
f'NetM" is also the abbreviated fonn of "Nityflnanda,"
(he moat powerful preacher among the followers of Chai-
tanya. He is rrgarded by the Vaishnavas of this sect as
the spiritual brothei of Gourftnga.
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
it, so he prayed to the Wind-god, saying:
"Lord, I beseech thee, do not destroy this cot-
tage"; but the Wind-god did not listen. He
prayed again, but the cottage kept on rocking.
Then he thought out a plan to save it. He re-
membered that in the mythology Hanum&n was
the son of the Wind-god. Instantly he cried
out : " Lord, I beg of Thee, spare this cottage, for
it belongs to Hanumfkn, Thy son." But the
Wind-god did not listen. Then he said, "Lord,
I pray Thee, spare this cottage, for it belongs to
Hanum^'s Lord, RSma." Still the Wind-god
did not listen. Then, as the cottage was about
to topple over; the man, to save his life, ran out
of it and began to swear, saying: "Let it go to
destruction! What is that to me?" ■ You may
now be anxious to preserve Keshab's name;
but console yourself with the thought that it
was after all owing to God's will that the re-
ligious movement connected with his name was
set on foot, and that if the movement has had
its day, it is also owing to that same Divine will.
Therefore dive deep into the sea. And the
Bhagav&n sang:
' r. Dive deep, dive deep, dive deep, my mind!
into the sea of Beauty. .
U.g.V6c.y Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRlsttNA
Make a search in the regions lower, still lower
below the bottom of the sea :
Thou wilt surely find the jewel of Prema (in-
tense love of God).
a. Within thy heart Vrindftvan (the abode of
the God of Love).
Search, search, search ; searching Thou wjlt
find it.
Then in the heart shall bum, bum, bum the
Lamp of Wisdom without ceasing.
3. Who is it that steers the boat on land, on
laad, on land ?
Says Kuvir; Listen, listen, listen; meditate
on the Lotus feet of Guru.
Do you hear the song? You have finished
your lectures, quarrels and fights. Now dive
in this ocean. There is no fear of death in this
sea. It is the sea of Immortality. Do not
fear that one becomes unbalanced by medi-
tating on God. I once said to Narendra (Vive-
kSnanda) —
Mozoomdir (interrupting): Who is this Na-
rendra ?
BhagavSn: Oh, there is a young man of that
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
name. Well, I said to Narendra: "God is like
a sea of immortal syrup. Would you not dive
deep into this sea? Suppose, my boy, there
is a basin containing the synip of sugar and
that yx)u are a fly anxious to drink of the sweet
liquid. Where would you sit and drink?"
Narendra said in reply; "Why! from the edge
of the basin I If I go far from the edge I inay
be drowned and lose my life." Thereupon I
said to him: "My boy, in the sea of Divinity
and, tiwHa there is no fear of that kind. Do
orimaortaHty.yQu ^ot know that it is the sea of
Immortality? Whosoever dives into this sea
does not die but obtains everlasting life."
He who is mad after God can never become
unbalanced or insane. (To the Bhaktas)
Work without devotion (Bhakti) to God has
in this age no groimd to stand upon. First
Worit witboat cultivate devotion (Bhakti) ; all other
'•*'*™" things — schools, dispensaries, and
charitable works shall, if you wish, be added
unto you. First devotion, then work. Work,
apart from devotion or love of God, is helpless
and cannot stand.
Mozoomdar made inquiries about the disci-
ples. He asked whether those who came to
the Bhagav&n were getting better in the spirit
949
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
day by day. The Bhagav&n said: I place
before them the ideal of a wet-nurse as teaching
Meal of ■ them how to live in this world. The
wat-aone, maid-servant referring to her master's
house says, "This is our house." All the while she
knows that her home is far away in a distant
village, to which her thoughts are all sent forth.
A^in, referring to the master's child in her arms,
she will say: "My Hari has grown very wicked,"
or "My Hari likes to eat this or that," and so
on. But all the while she knows that Hari
is not her own. I tell those who come to me
to live a life unattached like this maid-servant.
I tell them to live unattached to this world,
to be in the world but not of the world, and
at the same time to have their mind directed
to God, the heavenly home from whence all
come. I tell them to pray for love of God
(Bhakti), which will help them so to live.
After a short time the conversation turned
on the agnosticism of Europe and America, and
Mozooradar said: Whatever people
in the West may profess to be, none
■naAmcnci. ^^ them, as it seems to me, is an
atheist at heart. The European thinkers all
admit an unknown Power behind the um-
,„,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Bhagavan: How can they be atheists when
they believe in Sakti, the Eternal Energy?
Mozpomdir: They also admit the moral
government of the universe.
As Mozoomdar rose to take leave, the Bhaga-
vSn said to him: What shall I say? It is better
that you cease to have anything to do with
all those things — schisms, controversies, etc.
All quarrels and disputes spring from egotism .
and attachment to the world. These keep men
away from God. Therefore abandon all earthly
attachment and fix your mind on the Almighty.
Mozoomd^r then saluted the BhagavHn and
withdrew. After he had gone, a devotee asked:
Revered Sir, Thou didst go to see VidySsftgara,
what dost Thou think of him?
RAmakrishna: VidySsigara is a very learned
scholar. He is kind and charitable, but he has
no spiritual consciousness. There is gold inside ;
if he had been aware of it, he could not have
devoted so much of his time to externa! work.
Eventually his work would have been finished.
If he knew that God was dwelling within his
heart, his mind would have been fixed in
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
thinking and meditating on Him. Some people
have to perform work'without attachment for
a long time before true dispassion for the world
comes; then the mind runs towards God and
becomes absorbed in Him, Whatever work
Vidy&sagara has done for others has been very
Compudoa S°od and helpful. To be kind and
■ndatimciH Compassionate is also good; but there
""' IS a difference between compassion
and attachment. Compassion is good, but
attachment is not. Attachment is love for
wife, children, brother, sister, father, mother
and other relatives, while true compassion is
equal love for all living creatures.
Mahendra: Is compassion also a bondage?
RSmakrishna : This question is not for ordi-
nary mortals. Compassion is the result of the
Sattwa, Raju, Sattwa quality. The Sattwa quality
udTamu. jg protective, the Rajas quality is
creative, and Tamas is destructive: but
Brahman the Absolute is beyond these three
qualities, Sattwa. Rajas, and Tamas. It is also
beyond Prakriti or nature. Where there is abso-
lute Reality, no quality of nature can reach.
As a thief cannot go to the exact spot where
the treasure is, because he is afraid of being
caught, so Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas, like
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
thieves, cannot go to the realm where is the
treasure of the Absolute.
A man was going through the woods. On
his way he was caught by a band of three
PvaMc ot tho robbers. They took away every-
"™ "*'*^ thing he had. Then the first robber
asked: "What is the use of keeping this man
alive?" And drawing his sword, he was about
to kill him, when the second robber stopped
him, saying; "What good will be done by killing
himi* Tie his hands and feet and throw him
to one side." So they bound his hands and
feet and went away leaving him by the roadside.
After they had been gone for a while, the third
robber returned and said to him: "Ah! are
you hurt? Come, let me untie the cords and
release you." Then when he had removed the
cords, he said: "Now come with me. I will
show you the road." After walking for a long
distance, they found the road, and then the
robber said ; " Look, there is your home. Follow
the road and you will soon reach it." The
man. thanking him, replied: "Sir, you have
done me a great service. I am greatly obliged
■to you. Will you not come with me to my
house?" The robber answered: "No, I cannot
go there; the guard would find me out."
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
This world is the wilderness. The three
ThrMOnnu robbers are the three Gunas
oiubm. of nature, — Sattwa, Rajas, and.
Tamas. Jiva or the individual soul is the
traveler; self-knowledge is his treasure. The
Tamas quality tries to destroy the Jiva, the
Rajas quality binds him with the fetters of the
world, but the Sattwa quality protects him
from the actions of Rajas and Tamas. By
taking refuge with the Sattwa quaUty, Jiva
becomes free from lust and anger, which are
effects of Tamas; the Sattwa quality also
emancipates the Jiva or the individual soul
from the bondage of the world. But Sattwa
quality itself is also a robber. It cannot give
Divine wisdom or the knowledge of the Abso-
lute. It leads one, however, up to the path
of the Supreme Abode and then it says : " Be-
hold, there is thy home!" Then it disappears.
Even the Sattwa quality cannot go near the
abode of the Absolute.
What the Absolute is no one can tell. He
Abant ibe Ab. ™^° ^*^ attained the Absolute can-
Jnf not give any information about it.
Four travelers discovered a place
enclosed by a high wall, with no opening any-
where. They were very anxious to see what
u.„.... ...Google
ill be (old.
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
was inside. So one of them climbed to the top
of the wall and as he looked in, he shouted with
amazement and joy, "Ha! ha! ha!" and with-
out giving any infonnation to his fellow-
travellers, he jumped inside. The others did
likewise. Whoever climbs to the top of the
PwvMc ot tb* wall jumps inside with extreme joy
■our (T»*icrt. and never comes back to give the
news of what he has found. Such is the realm
of the Absolute. The great souls who have
realized the Absolute have not come back, be-
cause after attaining the highest knowledge of-
Brahman, one absolutely loses the sense of "I."
The mind ceases to be active, and all sense-con-
sciousness vanishes. This state is called Brah-
ma-Jnflna or Divine wisdom.
A devotee : Revered Sir. did not the perfected
soul Sukadeva attain to Brahma-Jnflna, the
Knowledge -of the Absolute?
RAmakrishna: Some say that Sukadeva saw
the ocean of the Absolute Brahman anij touched
its waters, but he did not go into the water;
therefore he was able to come back and teach
mankind. Others believe that he attained to
the Absolute Brahman and then returned to
help humanity.
Devotee:- Does sectarianism exist after the
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRlsHMA
knowledge of the Absolute (Brahma-Jnana) has
been attained?
RAmakrishna: I was talking with Keshab
Sen of this Brahma-Jn^a. Keshab asked me
s«uruniim ^° ^^Y '"'^''^ about the Absolute, I
and Brniim*- replied: "If I say more, your sect
jnioM. ^^j creed will vanish." Keshab an-
swered: "Revered Sir, then I do not wish to
hear more." Still, I said to Keshab: " 'I, me,
mine,' this is ignorance; 'I am the doer,' 'I am
the actor,' 'This is my wife, these are my chil-
dren, my property, wealth, fame,' all these arise
from ignorance." Keshab replied; "Revered
Sir, nothing will be left, if the sense of 'I' be
abandoned." I answered: "Keshab, I do not
ask you to abandon the whole of the sense of
Theanrip* 'I'l but leave out the unripe 'I'^
• ■n*ripe"i." 'J am the doer,' 'my wife, my chil-
dren, I am the teacher,' abandoning this sense of
'I,' retain the ripe 'I' — 'I am His servant, I am
His devotee,' 'I am not the doer, but He is the
Actor.' "
Devotee: Can the ripe "I" make a sect?
Ramakrishna: I said to Keshab: "I am the
leader of a sect, I have founded a sect, I am
teaching others, all these proceed from the
sense of the unripe 'I.'" Therefore I asked
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Keshab to abandon this "I." I also said to
him: "You talk of your sect, many members of
your sect have resigned." Keshab replied:
KniMbMid "Revered Sir, after remaining for
UtdiKipie*. t^hree years under my instructions,
they have now joined another sect, and at the
time of leaving, they criticised and slandered
me." I said to him: "You do not understand
the inner nature of your disciples. You must
study their predominant traits and you must
not make disciples indiscriminately. "
RSm Babu*: Bhagavan, I do not see what good
has been done by the New Dispensation of Ke-
shab Sen. If Keshab himself had realized God,
the condition of his disciples and followers
would have been different. In my opinion he
has had no realization.
SrJ Ramakrishna: Oh yes, he must have
some realization; otherwise why should so ■
many people honor and respect him? Why do
they not honor and respect the leaders of other
branches of the BrShmo-Sam^j ' in the same
* Ram B&bu was a, devoted bousebolder disciple of Sil
Ramakrishna. He was a scientist and a teacher of chem-
istry in the Medical College of Calcutta, He was a gpod
speaker and a writer.
357
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
way? Without Divine will no one can com-
mand such respect from the masses. A man
cannot become a true spiritual leader
A aplrltiul , , '^ ,
leader miut unless he practises absolute renun-
""™"" ciation. Without this people will
have no faith in him. They will say:
"This man is worldly. He himself enjoys the
pleasures of the flesh and wealth, yet he tells us
that God is Truth while the world is unreal like
a dream." The world will not receive his teach-
ings unless he has renounced everything. A
few people may listen to him and follow him.
Keshab Sen was in the world and had his mind
on worldly things. He tried to support .his
family by giving lectures and by marrying his
daughter to a prince, thus protecting his worldly
relations and social position. Once Keshab
Why Ood Mil. asked me: "Why can I not see God?"
aotbeeeea. J answered: "Because you have ab-
sorbed yourself in seeking the honor and respect
of people, in education and so on. So long as
the child is absorbed in playing with its dolls, .
the mother does not come. But when the child -
throws away the doll and cries for the mother,
the mother cannot stay away. You think that
you are a leader, but the Divine Mother thinks:
'My child believes that he has become a leader
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
and is happy; let him enjoy his belief,' " I
also told him to believe in the Divine Mother,
Th* Abwdute ^^^^ t^e Absolute and the Divine
ami Uw DiviiiB Mother are one. The Divine Mother is
the eternal Energy. They are in-
separable. They appear as separate so long as
we are conscious of the body and as we try to
describe them by words. Eventually Keshab
believed in the Divine Mother. Once he came*
with his disciples to see me. I asked him to
give a lecture, so he delivered his lecture and
after it I had a long talk with him. I said:
aod Hiidevo- "^^ ™^° '^ ^^^ Personal God mani-
leeand HI* fests in One form as His devotee and
"^ "'*■ in another form as His word." Then
I went on to say to him : " You are living in the
realm of tikyk (worldliness). This Maya does
not let anyone know God. It keeps all in
ignorance."
How wonderful is its power! It entangles
even a Divine Incarnation and makes Him
Miui** pow suffer from hunger, thirst, sorrow,
•rolMAyl. misery, like an ordinary mortal. Do
you not see how Rama, the Divine Incarnation.
suffered for Sita? How with great sorrow, He
wept bitterly when Sita was stolen away from
Him? In the Hindu mythology there is a story
,„„. ..Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
that Vishnu incarnated in the form of a boar to
viihna u ■ destroy the demons ; but after destroy-
'"^^ ing the demons. He did not care to
return to his Heaven, He wanted to live as a
boar. He had some little ones and He was
happy with them. The Devas of the heaven
thought: "How is it that our Lord does not
come back? What has happened?" Then they
■went to Shiva and asked Him to persuade Vishnu
to return to His heaven. Shiva came and en-
treated Him, but He was taking care of His
young ones and paid no heed. Then Shiva
tore open His body with His triad and freed Him
from His self-delusion. Vishnu then laughed
and returned to His heavenly abode. Such is
the power of May^! To go beyond its realm
and rise above the Gunas (qualities) is ex-
tremely difficult. He who has attained to God
has transcended Hkyk with its quahties.
...Google
CHAPTER IX /
VISIT TO A HINDU PANDIT AND PREACHER
It was the day of the great car festival of
Jagann^th. The streets of Calcutta were
crowded with people. Boys and girls were
■ playing along the way and amusing themselves
by blowing horns and pipes made of palm-leaves.
A light rain was falling and the roads were wet
and muddy. About four o'clock in the after-
noon the Bhagav^n came out of Ish^n's * house
■and entered 'a carriage which was waiting for
Him at the door. Immediately after taking
his seat He lost sense-consciousness and went
Abuhaof into that state of pure God-con-
WniBitrUhiM, sciousness which He had often called
His Abeska. The disciples followed their Divine
* IshSn Chunder Mookerjee was a pious BrShrain house-
holder. He regarded Sil Ramakrisbna as the Incamatba
of Divine Wisdom.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Master on foot, for they were eager to be present
at this memorable meeting with Pandit Sasa-
dhar,* the great preacher of the VedAnta phi-
losophy and religion.
The Pandit was visiting a friend in Calcutta.
As Sri R^makrishna's carriage drew up at the
entrance -door. He was warmly welcomed by
the host and his people. Coming upstairs the
Bhagav4n met Sasadhar advancing towards
Him. He appeared to be a middle-aged man
with a fair complexion and around his neck was
thrown a rosary of Rudr4ksha beads. He came
forward with a reverential air, saluted the
Bhagav^n, and led Him to the parlor which
was intended for His reception. The disciples
and others went in after Him and seated them-
selves as near Him as they could. Among the
many disciples present was Narendra. The
Bhagavan, smiling in His semiconscious state,-
* Pandit Sasadhar Tarkachuiimoni was a Sanskrit
scholar of great renown and an eloquent preacher of the
philosophy and religion of Vedflnta. By his powerful speeches
he succeeded in checking the materialistic tendency of the
Hindu students of Bengal. He also gave rational explana-
tions of the rituals and ceremonies described in the Mindu
Scriptures.
361
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
said: "Very good, very good! Well, ■what
kind of lectures do you give?"
Sasadhar; Revered Sir, I try to explain the
truth taught by the Holy Scriptures.
Bhagav^n : For this age Bhakti Yoga, com-
munion with God by love, devotion and self-
surrender, as practised by the Rishi Narada, is
enjoined. There is hardly time for Karma
■Yoga, for doing the works laid upon man by
the Scriptures. Do you not see that the well-
known decoction of the ten medicinal roots
(Dasamul PSchan) is not the medicine for
fevers of the present day? The patient runs
the risk of being carried off before the medicine
. has had time to take effect. "Fever-mixture"
is therefore the order of the day. Teach them
Karma if you like, but leave aside the head
and tail of the fish. I tell people not to bother
with the long ritual of Sandhy^, but to repeat
only the short Giyatri.* You are welcome to
talk of work to such people if you must.
* Gflyairi i& (he most sacred and the most univeisally used
of alJ Vedic prayers among the Hindus, It is a Sanskrit
Manlram or foimula which means: "Let us mediUte on
th&t glorious sell-efTulgent light of the Divine Sun; may He
enlighten our Buddki or undeistanding. " This is still the
daily prayer of all the Hindus of the upper three castes.
u.„.... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Gifre thousands of lectures, you cannot do
anything with worldly men. Can you drive a
Etfectotiec- "^'' '"*° * stone Wall?. The head
tnreioo will be broken without making any
y men. jmpression on the "wall. Strike the
back of an alligator with a sword, it will receive
no impression. The mendicant's bowl (of
gourd-shell) may have been to the four great
holy places of India but still be as bitter as ever.
But you will leam this gradually, A calf can-
not stand on its legs all at once. It falls down,
gets up, falls again, and then it learns to stand
and run. You do not know who is a Bhakta
(godly) and who is worldly ; but* that is not
your fault. When a heavy storm blows, one
cannot distinguish Tamarind from Mango-tree.
It is true, however, that no one can absolutely
renounce all works without realizing God. The
question is, how long should Sandhyi (rituals)
and other ceremonial works be practised? So
long as the Holy Name of the Lord does not
bring tears of love to the eyes and produce
horripilation in the body. When you are utter-
ing "Om RSma," if tears of love come to your
eyes, you will know for certain that the term of
your Karma (works and duties) is over. You
are no longer obliged to perform Sandhy^ and
aft*
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAERISHNA
other works. You have risen above Karma.
When the fruit appears, the blossom drops off.
The true Bhakti is the fruit, while work is the
bkissom.
When the daughter-in-law of the hoiise is
with child, she cannot do much work; so the
mother-in-law daily reduces the number of her
duties. As the time of her delivery draws near,
the mother-in-law seldom allows her to do any-
thing; and when the child is bom, she fondles
and caresses it and ceases altogether to work.
Sandhyi mei^s into Gfiyatri ; Gayatri into
Om, and Om ultimately loses itself in Samitdhi.
AM ritoau nj As the sound of a bell — Ding, dong —
in Sunuu. gradually fades away into the Infinite,
so the soul of a Yogi gradually rises with the
NAda (the sound of Om) and becomes merged
in the Absolute Brahman in Sam&dhi. Into
this Samadhi eventually enter all Karma, —
SandhyJl, G^yatri and other works. In this
manner the Jninis are freed from all rituals and
religious exercises.
As the Bhagav&n was talking of Sam^dhi, a
strange heavenly expression came over His sweet,
radiant face. He lost all outward consciousness.
36s
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKKISHNA
After remaining speechless in this state for
some time, He came down and hke a child said,
"Give me a little water." This call for water
was the usual sign of His return to the plane'of
sense-consciousness. Then He murmured: "O
Mother! The other day Thou didst show me
VidyS-sSgara. Then I desired to see a Pandit
and Thou hast brought me here."
Turning to Sasadhar, the BhagavSn said:
My son, add to your spiritual strength, go
TheiucHsity through dcvotional exercises a little
oipracuca. longer. You have hardly got up
into the tree, how can you expect to lay your
hand upon its fruit? But you are doing all
this for the good of others. Saying this the
Bhagav^n bowed to Sasadhar and continued:
When I first heard your name, I inquired whether
this Pandit was merely an ordinary Pandit or
one who had attained right discrimination (Vi-
veka)anddispassion (Vairagya). Heisnotatrue
Pandit who does not possess right discrimination.
If there has been a commission (Adesha) from
the Supreme, then there is no hami in teach-
Tha Divinely- ^"S others. Such a Divinely-commis-
commiuioned sioned tcachcr is invincible. No one
**"*"■ can defeat him. If one single ray
from the Goddess of Wisdom falls upon a man,
2 66
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
it brings to him such power that before him the
greatest Pandits become like worms of the
earth. When a lamp is lighted, swarms of
moths rush of themselves towards it without
waiting to be called. So he who has received
a Divine commission, for him there is no need to
seek followers or to make known the time of his
lectures. His own power of attraction is so great
that people of their own accord crowd around
him. Then kings and nobles dock to him say-
ing: "We have brought mangoes, sweets,
money, jewels and shawls; of these what will
you accept?" To such people I say: "Take
them away, I do not want any of them."
Does a magnet ever say to the iron, "Come
to me?" No; drawn by the magnet, it goes of
itself. Such a man may not be a Pandit, still
do not think for a moment that he lacks in
knowledge. Is true wisdom acquired by read-
ing books? There is no end to the wisdom of
one who has received a Divine commission.
That wisdom comes from God and therefore it
is endless. In our country in measuring grain,
one man weighs and the other pushes small
heaps of grain on to him. In like manner when
the Divinely-commissioned teacher gives in-
struction, my Mother, standing behind, pushes
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
toward him the heaps of Divine wisdom and the
supply is never exhausted. When the gracious
look of the Divine Mother falls upon one. can
there be any lack of wisdom? Therefore I ask
whether you have received any commission
(Adesha) from the Lord?
HkzTk (to the Pandit): Oh! I dare say he
must have received something of that kind. Is
it not so ? ,
Sasadhar's host : He has not obtained Adesha,
but he is lecturing only from a sense of duty.
Bhagav^: If a man has received no Divine
commission, what good will his lectures do? In
the course of his lecture a Br&hmo
tamwithout Said: "Brethren, I used to drink, I
DiviiHcaiii- used to do this and that." Hearing
this the people began to talk: "What
does this fellow say? He used to drink!" Thus
this statement produced just the opposite effect
in the minds of the audience. Unless the
speaker be a good spirittial man, his lectures do
not help mankind in any way. A subjjidge
once said tome: "Sir, you begin to preach, then
I will also be ready." I answered: "My friend,
listen. There was a large pond in a certain vil-
lage. Some people used to throw dirt around the
water's edgeandotherwisedefilethepond. Good
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
men of the village spoke to the ofEenders and en-
treated them, but could not produce the sHghtest
impression upon their minds. The offenders
continued to violate the sanitary laws. EvePf-j
morning abuses.were showered upon their heads,
but all in vain. At last when the municipal
authorities put up a notice forbidding everyone
to commit such acts and sent a peon with their
badge to punish the offenders, from that moment ,
nobody dared throw dirt near the pond . ' '
Bad(c <rf Therefore I say a badge of authority
""'"''''• is necessary; otherwise no one will
listen to your words. A true speaker is one who
is authorized by the Supreme and who holds
the badge of Divine commission. Every man
and woman must obey and bow down to him.
A true teacher of mankind must possess great
spiritual power (Sakti). In Calcutta there are
many veteran wrestlers. One must try one's
strength on such men and not on novices in
wrestling. Chaitanya Deva was an Avatira.
Tell me how much of that which he did is now
preserved? What good will be done by the lec-
tures of one who does not hold the badge of
Divine authority? Therefore I say: "You must
first be absorbed in the Holy feet of the Al-
mighty."
369
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRI5HNA
There are infinite ways which lead to the sea
of immortality. The main thing is to fall into
that sea; it matters not how. one gets there.
Suppose there is a reservoir of nectar, a single
drop of which falling into the mouth will make
one immortal. You may drink of it either by
jumping into the reservoir or by slowly walking
down along its slope. The result will be the
same even if you are pushed or thrown into it
by another. Taste a little of that nectar and
become immortal.
Innumerable are the paths. Jnflna, Karma,
Bhakti are all paths which lead to the same
tHttHni goal. If you have intense longing
paOutoOod. yQ^ ^11 surely reach God. Yoga
{communion with God) is of four kinds: Jn^na
Yoga, Karma Yoga, RAja Yoga, and Bhakti
Yoga.
JnSna Yoga is communion with God by means
of right discrimination and knowledge in its
highest sense. The object of a Jnani
IS to know and realize the Absolute.
He discriminates between the Absolute Reality
and the unreal phenomena by saying: "Not
this," "Not this," until he comes to a point
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
where all discrimination between the Real and
the unreal ceases and the Absolute Brahman is
realized in Sam&dhi.
Karma Yoga is communion with God by-
means of work. It is what you are teaching.
The performance of duties bv house-
Karnia Yoca. ^
holders not for the sake of obtaining
their results but for glorifying the Supreme is
that which is. meant by this method of Yoga.
Again, worship, repetition of the Name of the
Lord, and other devotional exercises are also
included in it, if they are done without attach-
ment to their fruits and for the glorification of
God. The end of Karma "Yoga is the same as
the realization of the Intpersonal Absolute or
the Personal God or both.
R9,ja Yoga leads to this communion through
concentration and meditation. It has eight
steps. The first is Yama, which con-
sists in non-injuring, truthfulness,
non-covetousness, chastity, and the non-receiv-
ing of gifts. The. second is Niyama, which
includes austerities, forbearance, contentment,
faith in the Supreme Being, charity, study, and
self-surrender to the Supreme Will. The prac-
tice of various physical postures is comprised in
Asana, the third; while PrSnayaraa or breath-
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
ing exercises constitute the fourth step. The
fifth is Pratyihara and consists in making the
mind introspective and one-pointed. Concen-
tration or Dhflran^ is the next ; Dhyina or medi-
tation is the seventh, and Samadhi or the state
of superconsciousness the eighth.
Bhakti Yoga is communion by means of love,
V devotion, and self -surrender (Bhakti).
It is especially adapted to this age.
The path of absolute knowledge is exceedingly
difficult. The term of human life at the present
day is short and entirely dependent on material
food. Moreover, it is almost impossible to get
rid of the idea that the soul is one with the body.
Now a Jn^ni or philosopher may declare: "I
am not this body, gross or subtle; I am one
with Brahman, the Absolute. I am not subject
to the necessities and conditions of the body, —
hunger, thirst, birth, death, disease, grief,
pleasure, pain." Such assertions, however,
will not make him free from these bodily con-
ditions so long as he is on the plane of rela-
tivity. He may be compared to a person who
is suffering from the intense pain of a wound
but who is trying to deny it by m«re words of
mouth.
When the Kundalini is awakened, true
u.„..... ...Google
GOspEl Of ramakrishna
Bhakti, Divine Love and ecstasy are attained.
Through Karma Yoga one can easily attain to
various psychic powers. But when Karma
Yoga leads to Bhakti Yoga, Divine realization
comes. Then all duties, rituals, ceremonials,
drop ofE like the petals of a flower when the
fruit has grown. When a child is bom, the
young mother does not discharge any other
duties, but fondles the child the whole day. As
she is free from all household duties, so a Bhakta
becomes free from the bondage of work after
realizing God. The true Bhakta says; "O
Mother, Karma with attachment I fear, for it
proceeds from selfish motives, and as a man
soweth so shall he reap. I see again that work
without attachment is exceedingly difficult. If
I work through attachment I shall forget Thee;
I therefore I do not desire such Karma. Grant
that my work may become less and less so long
as I do not attain to Thee, Till then may I
have strength to do unattached the little work
that is left for -me, and may I be blessed with
unselfish love and devotion to Thee! Mother,
so long as I do not realize Thee may my mind
be not attached to new works and new desires!
But when Thou wilt command me to work I
shall do it not for myself but only for Thee."
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
A devotee : Revered Sir, what is Hatha Yoga ?
RSmakrishna: Hatha Yoga deals entirely
with the physical body. It describes the
„ , . methods by which the internal or-
gans can be punned and perfect
health can be acquired. It teaches how to con-
quer the various powers of PrSna and the mus-
cles, organs and nerves of the body. " But in
Hatha Yoga the mind must always be concen-
trated on the physical body, A Hatha Yogi
possesses many powers, such as the power of
levitation; but all these powers are only the
manifestations of physical PrAna. There was a
juggler who in the midst of his tricks suddenly
turned his tongue upward and drew it back
into the post-nasal canal, stopping respiration.
Instantly all the activities of his body were sus-
pended. People thoiight that he was dead, so
they buried him. For several years he re-
mained buried in that state. In some way the
grave was opened and he regained conscious-
ness. Immediately he began to repeat the
same conjuring words with w^hich he had been
casting the spell before he lost consciousness.
So the practice of Hatha Yoga will bring on'e
control over the body, but it will carry one only
so far. Raja Yoga, on the contrary, deals with
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the mind and leads to spiritual results through
discrimination, concentration and meditation.
Perfect concentration of the mind is necessary
in the path of R4]a Yoga. Mind is hke the
flame of a lamp. When the wind of
'desire blows, it is restless; when
there is no wind, it is steady. The latter is the
state of mind in Yoga. Ordinarily the mind is
scattered, one portion here, another portion
there. It is necessary to collect the scattered
mind and direct it towards one point. If you
want a whole piece of cloth, you will have to
pay the full price for it. Yoga is not possible
if there be the least obstacle in the way. If
there be a small break in the telegraphic wire,
the message will not reach its destination. A
Yogi controls his mind, the mind does not con-
trol him. When the mind is absolutely con-
centrated, the breath stops, and the soul enters
into SamMhi.
This state of breathlessness is called Kum-
bhaka. It can be attained through Bhakti
Yoga also. When the emotion
(Bhakti) reaches its climax, the
breath stops and the mind becomes fixed. If
a man is sweeping and some one comes and tells
him: "Mr. So and So is dead; have you heard?"
"75
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GOSPEL OF RAMARRISHNA
The sweeper, if the dead man be not his rela-
tion, will exclaim unconcernedly; "Is that so?
Is he dead? He was a good man. I am
sorry"; but he goes on sweeping. If, however:
he hears of the death of a dear relative, he is so
stunned that the broom drops from his hand
and he sinks to the ground crying out, "God
help me!" At this time his breath stops, his
mind is fixed upon his grief and he cannot
think of anything else. Again, have you not
seen among women how, when one of them is
struck with wonder either by seeing or hearing
something unexpectedly, her breath will stop,
her mind become fixed and the body remain so
motionless that the other women will exclaim:
"What is the matter? Have you lost your
senses?"
At the time of true meditation the body and
senses become absolutely still like a piece of
wood. ^When I first sawKeshab Sen
in the Adi (ori^nal) Brahmo-Sam4j,
I saw him sittingin meditation with other mem-
bers; his mind was entirely withdrawn from
the external world and his body was perfectly
motionless like a wooden stump ; then I said to
Mathura B4bu: "This man has hooked the fish."
Meditation is possible even with eyes wide open,
376
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
even when one is conversing with another.
Suppose you have a toothache. You may per-
form all works, but your mind will remain con-
centrated on the spot where the pain is. Simi-
larly, if you have true concentration on God,
your mind will remain fixed even when your
body is moving or yoiir mouth is speaking. I
used to close my eyes at the time of meditation.
Then I thought: "If God exists after closing the
eyes, why should He not exist while the eyes
are open?" I opened my eyes and saw the
Divine Being everywhere. MarT, animals, in-
sects, trees, creepers, moon, sun. water, earth, in .
and through all these the Infinite Being is mani-
festing Himself. He who thinks upon God for
a long time possesses Divine Substance within
him. Through him flow Divine powers. A
great singer, or one who is perfect in instru-
mental music or in any other art or science,
also possesses a portion of Divine power. This
is the doctrine of the Bhagavad GitS., — "Wher- ■
ever there are signs of greatness, there is the -
manifestation of Divine power."
A devotee: Revered Sir, what happens after
death ?
Ramakrishna: Keshab Sen asked me the
same question. So long as a m
...Google
Gospel OF ramakrishna
ignorance, in other words, so long as he has not
wiui h^ppMu realized God, he will be subject to
■Her death, rebirth; but after Divine realization
one does not come back to this earth, nor is he
bom in any other world. Potters after making
earthen pots dry them in the sun. Have you
not seen that there are pots which are baked in
fire and others that are unbaked? When a pot ,
of unbaked clay is broken, the potter uses the
same clay to make a new pot; but if a baked
pot is broken, the pieces are of no further use
and he throws them away. Similarly, when the
ego is not baked in the fire of wisdom, after
death it will appear in another form and be
bom again and again. If a fried grain is planted
it will not germinate; in the same manner, he
whose inner nature is fried in the fire of wisdom
is no longer subject to evolution, but attains to
absolute freedom from rebirth.
In the Puranas the doctrine of dualistic Ve-
dSnta prevails, which teaches that the Jiva
DoaiinicaBd ^^^^ individual soul) is one thing and
moniRk; God is another: "I am distinct and
separate from you." This body is
like a bowl; mind, intellect and egoism are like
water within it, while the Personal God is the
sun which is reflected in the water; and this
278
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
reflection or image of the Divine Being can.be
perceived by the Jiva in ecstasy. In monistic
Ved^ta, however, Brahman, the Absolute, is
the Reality and all else is unreal like a dream.
Egoism is like a stick which lies upon the waters
of the infinite ocean of Existence-Intelligence-
, BHss Absolute, and makes it appear as divided;
but when the stick is removed, the apparent
division ceases and the waters of the ocean
remain undivided. The knowledge of this in-
divisible oneness brings the highest state of
Samadhi, where this egoism is entirely obliter-
ated. But the great spiritual teachers like San-
karitchSrya * kept a little egoism of knowledge
to teach mankind.
• SankaracMrya was the greatest eipanent of the VedSnta
philosophy in India. He lived about the beginning of the
eighth (.entuiy of the Christian era. His Commentaries on
the Upanishads, the Ved&nta sutrss, and on the Bhagavad Git&
have shonn the profound depth of his philosophical mason-
ing. He became a Sannyllsin when he was eight years old.
He wrote his famous Commentaries in Sanskrit at the age
of twelve and finished his literary work when he was si^een
years old. Then for sixteen years he preached monistic
VedSnla, and established monastic onders and monasteries in
Ihe foar comers oi India. He finished his glorious and
eventful career when he reached the age of thirty-two. Hs
279
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
A true Jnkm, or knower of the Absolute, may
be recognized by certain signs. A real Jn^ni
Tiw iiiiu oi does harm to no one. His nature be-
atTMjatei. comes like that of an innocent child.
As a burnt rope retains its shape and appears
from a distance like a real rope, but in truth a
breath can blow it away, so the egoism of a
Jn4ni is merely apparent. A child has no at-
tachment for anything. It may build a toy
house; if anyone touches it, it cries; but the
next moment it will itself break it to pieces.
So a true JnSni lives in the world, but unat-
tached. He may possess things of great value,
but he has no attachment for them. In monis-
tic Vedanta the waking state is no more real
PuvHeota than the dream state. A wood-
wood-cotwr cutter was dreaming a happy dream,
"'but being suddenly awakened by
some one. he exclaimed with annoyance: "Why
did you awaken me? I was a king and the
father of seven children. My children were all
receiving education in the various sciences. I
was seated on the throne and ruling over my
country. Why did you destroy so happy and
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
delightful a state ? " The man replied : "Oh! It
was only a dream. What does it matter?"
The wood-cutter said: "Get away, you fooll
You do not understand that my being a Idng
was as real as my wood-cutting. If it be true
that I am a wood-cutter, then it is equally true
that I was a Idng." *
Jn^a is to know the Atman through the path
of discrimination: "Not this, not this." When
jninaud this discrimination leads to Sam&dhi,
Vijniiu. then the Atman can be apprehended.
But VijnSna is complete knowledge or realiza-
tion. Some have heard of milk,' some have
seen it, but others have tasted it. So with God.
Those who have heard of Him are still in igno-
rance; those who have seen Him are JnSjiis;
but those who have tasted or realized Him are
Viininis. After seeing God, when one makes
acquaintance with Him and realizes Him as the
nearest and dearest of all, that is Vijnana. At
first it is necessary to discriminate "Not this,
not this," that is, God is not the elements of
nature, He is not the senses or sense-powers, He
is not this mind, not this intellect, not this ego-
ism; He is beyond all the categories of nature.
To go to the roof, one must climb step by step,
leaving one step after another. The staircase
u.,M,»..., Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
is not the same as the roof. After coming out
on the roof, however, one can easily see that
both roof and staircase are of the same material.
The same Infinite Brahman appears as the Per-
sonal God, JJva, and the twenty-four categories
of nature. You may ask why this earth is so
hard and solid, if it has come out of Brahman?
His omnipotence can make everything possible.
Ramakrishna (to old GopM, Sw4mi Advai-
tananda) : What ! Do you still wish to visit
holy places ?
Gop^l: Yes, Bhagavan, I would like to
travel a little more.
Ram Babu (to Gopai): The Bhagavan says,
after travelling to many places one should settle
PanMeoi down in one spot. This he explains
the Mrd on by the parable of the bird on a ship's
UwnaM. mast. A bird was sitting on the
mast of a vessel as it sailed out to sea. After a
long time the bird realized that there were no
trees around or land in sight. He flew towards
the north to find land, but being disappointed,
he returned to the mast, rested a while and flew
towards the south. Still finding no shore, he
came back again, tired and exhausted. In the
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
same manner he went in all directions, but find-
ing nothing but water and water everywhere,
he at last rested on the mast and became con-
tent.
Ramakrishna: So long as God seems to be
outside, in different places, so long there is
p,„bi, ^ , ignorance. But when God is realized
manM^ns within, that IS true knowledge. A
' "^ man woke up at midnight and de-
sired to smoke. He wanted a light, so he went
to a neighbor's house and knocked at the door.
Someone opened the door and asked him what
he wanted. The man said: "I wish to smoke.
Can you give me a light?" The neighbor re-
plied: "What is the matter with you? You
have taken so much trouble and awakened us
at this hour, when in your hand you have a
lighted lantern." What a man wants is already
with him ; but he still wanders here and there in
search of it.
R^m Babu: Bhagavan, now I have under-
stood why a Guru asks his disciple to visit holy
places, — to give him experience and to increase
his faith in his teachings.
Pandit : Revered Sir, how far did your Holi-
ness go on pilgrimages?
Rtaiakrishna (smiling) : Well, I went to
883
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISIINA
some places. H&zr4 went farther and higher
up, to Hrishikesha * in the HimS,-
layas. I did not go so far or so high
up. The vulture and the kite soar very high,
but their eyes are all the while directed to the
chamel-pits below. Do you know what the
chamel-pits are? Lust and gold. If in going
on a pilgrimage a man does not acquire Bhakti,
then his pilgrimage is fruitless; for Bhakti is
the end of all ; it is the one thing needful.
Do you know what the vulture and the kite
are? They are those who talk on lofty subjects
and say; "We have performed most of the works
enjoined in the Holy Scriptures," but whose
minds are immersed in worldliness and strongly
attached to wealth, name, fame, and sense-
Pandit: Yes, Revered Sir, that is true. Go-
ing on a pilgrimage is like casting aside the
precious stone worn on the breast of Vishnu and
wandering about in search of other jewels.
Rlmakrishna: Again, you should know that
although you may give thousands of instruc-
tions, still they will not produce results until
■'". * Hrishikesha is a sacred place of pilgrimage on the banks
. of the holy nver Ganges at the foot of the Himalayas.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the time is ripe. A child before going to steep
says to its mother: "Mamma dear, awaken me
when I shall feel hungry." The mothWreplies:
"Do not wony about that, my Chfld^' *hy
hunger will awaken thee." In the samB'maittiW '-■
one yearns after God when the proper tirtie COHieS'"'- ■' ' '
for it. ■ ■'■ ■■•"■■'• \>:-y'y- "
Physicians can be divided into three' <da^s'.''' ■'■
First, those who. when called in, lookvatthfi' '''■'■>'
ThnaciuH* patient, feel his pulse, prescribeTthe . ._, ,
otmichHu necessary medicines and then ask the
patient to take them. If the patient de-
clines to do so, they do not care. This is the low-
est class. Similarly there are spiritual teachers '
who do not care to know whether their instruc-
tions have been practised or whether they have ■
produced good results in their disciples. There
are other physicians who not only ask the patient -' ■
to take the prescribed drug but who reason with
him if he refuses to take it. These belong to the
mediiim class. Similarly those spiritual teachers
who not only instruct their pupils but reason
with them and gently persuade them to- follow
their teachings, are better than those of the
first class. But the best physicians, who be-
long to the highest class, use force on the patient
if he does not listen to their gentle persuasions.
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
They may go so far as to make him swallow the
medicine by force if necessary. Similarly the
best spiritual masters use force on their dis-
ciples to bring them into the path of the Lord,
These teachers belong to the highest class.
Pandit : Revered Sir, if there are such spirit-
ual teachers, like the physicians of the highest
class, then why dost Thou say that the spiritual
awakening cannot come before the time is ripe?,
Bhagav^: Yes, it is true; but suppose the
medicine does not get into the stomach? What
will the physician do then? Even the best of
them are quite helpless. To give proper instruc-
^^ tion one must first choose fit vessels.
You do not examine the capabili-
ties of your pupils. But I ask those who come
to me: "Whom have you to care for you?"
■ Suppose a young man has no father or that his
father has left him with debts; how is it possible
for him to give his heart and soul to God? Do
you hear, my child?
Pandit: Yes, Bhagavan, I am all attention.
The conversation then passed to another sub-
ject, — ^the Grace of God, The Bhagavan said:
Once a number of Shikh soldiers
Once o( Ood. , m < t •
came to the Temple. 1 met them
before the Temple of the Divine Mother, One
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
of them said: "God is all-merciful." I asked:
"Indeed, is it so? How did you come to know
it?" "Why, Sir, is not the Lord feeding and
taking care of us?" I said: "Is that so extraor-
dinary? God is the Father of us all. If the
father does not look after his own children, who
will? Shall outsiders from another neighbor-
hood come and take care of them?"
Narendra: Then we should not call Him
merciful ?
BhagavS.n: Am I forbidding you to call Him
all-merciful? What I mean is that the Lord is
our nearest and dearest and not like a stranger.
Pandit: Priceless are these words!
The Bhagav^n here asked for a fresh glass of
water. He would not take the one already
offered and it was therefore carried away. It
appeared that he looked upon it as unfit to be
offered to the God in Him, being made impure
by the "feverish" touch of some wicked
men.
Pandit (to HfLzra) : You who live with the
Bhagavan day and night must enjoy the high-
est bliss.
Bhagavan (smiling) : This day I have had the
rare pleasure of looking at the moon of the second
lunar day. Do you know why I say the moon
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRlSHNA
of the second lunar day ? Sit& * said to RAvana :
' ' Thou art the full moon, and my Rama Chandra
is the moon of the second lunar day." Rivana
was highly pleased, for he did not understand
the meaning. Sit4 meant to say that the for-
tune of RSvana had reached its climax like the
full moon and that now it must be on the wane;
but the fortune of R&ma Chandra is like the
moon of the second lunar day, which will increase
day by day.
Here the BhagavSn rising to take leave, the
Pandit and his friends bowed down before Him
with great reverence and devotion. He then
departed, followed by His disciples.
• Situ, the faithful and devoted wife of Lord Rlnia Chandra,
who is regarded as an Incarnation of God She was stolen
by RAvana, King of Ceylon, who brought her to his capital,
LankA. Henoe the war described in the epic R&mftyana,
which ended with the destniction of R4vana and many of his
.yCoOgIc
CHAPTER X
GATHERING OF DISCIPLES AT THE TEMPLE
Sri Rauakrishna was seated on His seat as
usual with His face to the north. The western
and northern doors of the apartment in which
He latterly passed His days looked out on the
sacred waters of the Ganges. BalarAm, R4k-
hai, and other devotees and visitors were seated
on a mat spread out on the floor of the room.
They were singing hymns to the accompani-
jinent of musical intruments. One of the songs
had particular reference to the six Lotuses mark-
ing the different stages of the Yogi's progress
toward union with the Universal Spirit. At the
close of this song the Bhagav^n said:
The six Lotuses mentioned in the Science of
Yoga correspond to the seven mental planes
mentioned in the VedlLnta. When the mind is
a89
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKMSHNA
immersed in worldliness. it makes its abode in the
s«v«D mMitai lowest lotus at the end of the spine.
'"'■"^ Sexual desires rise when the mind
is in the second lotus, the sexual organ. When
it is in the third, the navel, the man is taken up
with things of the world— eating, drinking, be-
getting children. In the fourth mental plane
the heart of the man is blessed with the Vision
of Divine Glory and he cries out: "What is all
this! What is all this!" In the fifth plane
the mind rests in the throat. The devotee talks
only on subjects related to God and grows im-
patient if any other subject comes up in the
course of conversation. In the sixth plane the
mind is localized between the eyebrows. The
devotee comes face to face with God; only a
thin glass-like partition, so to speak, keeps him
separate from the Divine Person. To him God
is like a light within a lantern, or like a photo-
graph behind a glass frame. He tries to touch
the Vision, but he cannot. His perception falls
short of complete realization, for there is the
element of self-consciousness, the sense of "I,"
kept to a certain extent. In the last or seventh
plane it is perfect Samddhi. Then all sense-
consciousness ceases and absolute God -con-
sciousness takes its place. In this state the life
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
of the saint lingers tor twenty-one days, after
which he passes away. During these days he
ceases to take any food. Milk, if poured into
his "mouth, runs out and never gets into the
stomach.
The BhagavHn continued: Some sages, who
have reached the seventh or highest plane and
have thus attained to God-conscious-
luvcruched ness, are pleased to come down from
tiM Hveath that spiritual height for the good of
mankind. They keep the ego of
Vidya, or, in other words, the Higher Self. But
ihis ego is a mere appearance. It is like a Hne
drawn across a sheet of water. Hanumln was
blessed with the vision of God both with form
and without form; but he retained the ego of a
servant of God. Such was also the case with
the wise men Na,rada,* Sanaka.f Sananda, and
Sanat Kum^ra of ancient times.
Here the question was asked whether N4rada
and others were Bhaktas only and not Jnanis.
The Bhagav^n replied: Ntkrada and others
had attained the highest knowledge (Brahma-
Jn^na), but still they went on like the murmur-
* Nftrftda, see note page i68.
t Sanaka. Sananda, and Sanat Kumftra were the three
Risbis or Seers of Tnitli in ancient India.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
ing waters of the rivulet, talking and singing.
This shows that they too kept this ego of
knowledge. They were Jn^is (knowers), but
they talked and sang the praises of the Personal
God for the good of others. A steamboat not
only reaches its destination itself but also
carries numbers of people on board to the same
place. Preceptors such as N^rada are like
steamboats.
The Avatiras or Incarnations of God are
bom with Divine powers and Divine qualities.
They can go anywhere and can stay
in any state of existence from the
highest to the lowest. They can Stand on the
top of the house and come down by the stairs
to the ground floor and can go back to the roof
again. They possess the power both to come
down and to return. In a seven-story palace
a stranger can go only to the outer quarters,
but the king's own child, the prince of the house,
is free to go to eyery corner.
As in fireworks there is a kind of flower-pot
which sends off one kind of flower for a while,
Aaurua^ then another kind and still another,
oniiury possessing, as it were, an inn^mler-
■""^ able variety of flowers, so are the
Avat^ras. Then there is another kind of flower-
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKBISHNA
pot which when lighted bums a little and then
goes off all at once. Similarly ordinary Jivas,
after long practice and devotional exercises, go
up at once in SamMhi and do not return. There
sonUeur- is another class who may be called
B«liy Int. eternally free. From their birth they
seek after God and do not care for anything of
the world. We are told of a fabled species of
birds called "Homa," which Uve so high up in
the heavens, and so dearly love those regions,
that they never condescend to come down to
the earth. Even their eggs, which when laid
in the sky begin to fall to the earth by the force
of gravity, are said to be hatched during their
downward course, and the fledglings, finding
that they are falling down, at once change their
course and begin to fly upward towards their
home, drawn thither by instinct. Men such as
Sukadeva, Narada, Jesus, SankarichArya and
others are like those birds, who even in their
boyhood give up all attachment to the things
of this world and betake themselves to the high-
est regions of true Knowledge and Divine Light.
Those who come with the AvatSras are either
souls who are eternally free or who are bom for
the last time.
The holy men (Paramahamsas) may be di-
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
vided into two classes. First, those who de-
clare the Supreme Being to be the
oi Pannu- Formless One. Trailanga Swami of
hainu. Benares belonged to this class. Gener-
ally speaking, holy men of this class are com-
paratively selfish, because they care only for
the liberation of their own souls'. Those of the
second class say that God is with form as well
as formless, and that He manifests Himself to
His devotees as a Being with form. Have you
ever seen a canal running over into the water
of the liver with which it is connected? The
canal has sometimes no trace left, being en-
tirely one with the river-water. But very often
there may be noticed a slight movement in the
water which proves its separateness from the
river. Pretty much the same is the case with
the Paramahamsa belonging to the second class.
His soul becomes one with the Universal Spirit.
Eio of kaowi< Still the ego of knowledge (Vidya)
•^- or a slight trace of individuality is
kept to mark his separate existence from the
Deity.
Again, such a holy man may be compared to
a jar or pitcher of water. A pitcher filled with
water to the brim gives sound, only when a por-
tion of the water js poured out into another
394
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
vessel. Similarly the Paramahainsa keeps silent
except when his water of wisdom is poured out
into the soul of the disciple. Thus he retains
the ego of knowledge for the purpose of teaching
others.
Again, suppose a person digs a well. He is
thirsty and drinks of the water of that well.
Yet when his thirst is quenched it is not un-
usual for such a person to keep the digging
implements, — the hack, the shovel, the spade, —
for the sake of others who may want them for
the same purpose. In the same way a Para-
mahamsa of the second class, who may have
drunk of the waters of Everlasting Life and
have thus quenched his spiritual thirst, is often
anxious to do good to mankind. With this in
view he retains the ego of Knowledge, the ego
of Love, and the ego of the Preceptor.
Some persons eat mangoes and then remove
all traces of eating by wiping the mouth with a
HeipiDi napkin. They care only for their
oihen. own pleasure. But there are others
who let people know that they have eaten man-
goes and are willing to share their pleasure with
them. Similarly there are Jninis who enjoy
Divine Communion, and do not think of speak-
ing about it to others; but it was different with
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the Gopis of Vrind^van. They not only enjoyed
communion with Krishna, the God Incarnate,
but were willing to share their happiness with
others.
Communion with God may be compared to
the process of involution. When one com-
DiviDacom- munes with the Supreme Being one's
munion. personality becomes absolutely united
with the Divine Personality. This is the state
of Samidhi. Then, again, when one returns to
the human plane and comes backtcthe starting-
point one sees that the world and the ego or
self are evolved from the same Supreme Being;
and that God, man and nature are interrelated,
so that if you hold on to one of them you realize
the others.
Call with Bhakti (love) upon His Hallowed
Name and the mountain of your sins shall dis-
appear as a mountain of cotton-wool
d^itfOTf^" "^^^ vanish in an instant if it catches
one spark of fire. Worship through
fear of hell-fire is intended for beginners.
Then turning to some of the company present
who were singing, the BhagavSn said: "Will
you sing songs which describe the enjoyment
that is realized by the human soul after God-
vision? RAkhai (Swami Brahminanda, one of
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKBISHNA
His young disciples), do you remember the song
sung the other day at Nobin Neogi's house,
' Be intoxicated with the joy of the Lord'? "
One of the company then said : Revered Sir,
may we be favored with a song from Thee?
Bhagavin: What shall I sing? I sing pretty
much like yourselves. Very well; when the
time comes, I will sing. So saying, He re-
mained silent for a while.
The first song that He then sang was about
Sri Chaitanya Deva and Sri Krishna, that is,
from the point of view of the Vaishnavas (dual-
istic Bhaktas). The last was regarding the
Divine Mother.
The Devotee and Her Ecstatic Love
I-. The waves of the Divine Love come dashing
against my body. The swell of the Sea
of Love causes the fall of the unrighteous;
nay, it drowns the whole universe.
3. I think of diving deep near the bottom of
the Sea, but the alligator of ecstasy has
swallowed me up. Who is there to feel
for me and, holding me by the hand, drag
me out of the water?
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Song
The Mothbr op thb Universe, and the Ma-
chine OP THE Human Body
1. What a fine machine of the human body hath
the Divine Mother made!
How wonderful are the sports She is playing
through the machine only six feet long!
2. Dwelling within the machine, She holds in
Her hand the string that sets it in motion;
but the machine thinks: "I move by my
own will," not knowing Who causes it to
move.
3. The "machine" that has realized Her will
not have to be bom again. She Herself
is tied in some machines by the string of
Bhakti (love).
At the end of the song the Bhagavan was in
SamMhi. His eyes were fixed and half-closed.
His pulse and the heart-beat were suspended.
Sense -consciousness had left Him, giving place
to pure God-consciousness, Returning a little
to the semiconscious state He talked to the
Holy Mother, saying; Do not trouble, O Mother!
lg8
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAERISHHA
Come down to this plane. Be still, Mother!
What Thou wishest. Mother, for everybody
shall come to pass I What shall I say to these
people ?
Nothing can be achieved in the path of
spirituality without discrimination (between the
DiKTiminBtiiiii ^^^' and the unreal) and renuncia-
aod nmimct^ tion (non-attachment to riches,
*^ honor, sensual pleasures). Renuncia-
tion is of many kinds. One kind springs from
the acute pain due to worldly misery. But the
better kind of renunciation arises from the
realization that all worldly blessings are unreal
even when they are within reach. Thus, hav-
ing all, the man renounces everything for the
sake of God.
Everything rests upon time. For all religious
awakening we must wait. But in the mean-
while the precepts of a Guru, the
HIT to spiritual teacher, should be carefully
rafifiaiu followed, for the impression of these
precepts in the mind of a worldly man
may be of great help in time of need. Another
reason is that constant hearing of those pre-
cepts may gradually remove the evil effects of
worldly attachment. As the effects of drunken-
ness can be removed by making the drunkard
...Google
GOSPEL OF EAMAKRISHNA
drink rice-water, so the intoxication of the
worldly-minded people can be ciired by the
constant hearing of the precepts of a holy Guru.
The number of those who attain Divine Wisdom
is very limited. So the Gita. says: "Among
thousands a few only strive for the realization
of God, and among thousands of such seekers
after Truth a few succeed in reaching the
goal." The more a person is attached to the
Woridiyat- World, the less is he likely to attain
tacbmentand Divine Wisdom. The less his attach-
naUutJon. jj^gn^ jg^ ^jjg more is the probability
of his getting it. Thus, wisdom may be said
to vary directly as non -attachment to the world,
its pleasures, its riches, and inversely as attach-
ment to the world.
There are different stages of spirituality.
First, there is the state of being struck speech-
states oi less at the thought or realization of
•ptrituuty. the Absolute Brahman, ^Existence,
Knowledge and Bliss. This is the utmost point
as regards love of God that can be reached by
ordinary mortals. Second, there is the state of
ecstatic love. This is attainable only by a few.
They are human beings with extraordinary,
original powers and entrusted with a Divine
commission. Being heirs of Divine powers and
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF KAMAKRISHNA ^
glories, they fonn a class of their own. To this
class belong the Incarnations of Gk)d like Christ,
Krishna, Buddha, and Chaitanya and their dev-
otees of the highest order.
The two characteristics of ecstatic love are,
first, the forgetfulness of the external world,
and second, the forgetfulness of one's
EolBtlc love.. , , , . , .
own body which is so dear to one.
The first is like the unripe mango, the second is
like the ripe mango. Ecstatic love of God is
like a string in the hands of the Bhakta which
binds God. The devotee holds the Lord tmder
his control, so to speak. The Lord must come
to him whenever he calls out to Him. In Per-
sian books it is written that within the flesh are
the bones, within the bones is the marrow,
within the marrow, the last and innermost of
all, is this ecstatic love. Sri Krishna is called
" Tribhanga," that is, the usual posture of His
body is bent in three different angles. Now a
soft substance alone can take such an angular
shape, so this form of Sri Krishna impUes that
His whole being, must have been made very
tender by this ecstatic love.
Chaitanya Deva was the incarnation of Divine
Love or Bhakti. He came to teach mankind
true Bhakti. He used to have three states of
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKJUSHNA
consciousness in ecstasy. First, consciousness of
the gross and subtle body. At this
Thne itatn . ki i-
oicoDuioiu- time he would repeat the Name of
""fj" the Lord and sing Hts praises in Sao-
kirtan. Second, consciousness of
the causal body alone. In this state he would
become intoxicated with ecstatic joy, and re-
taining partial consciousness of the external,
he would dance in company with other Bbaktas.
Third, consciousness of the Absolute. In this
State he would enter into the highest realm of
Samadhi, and rising above all sense -conscious-
ness, his body would remain apparently hfeless.
These states correspond to the five sheaths of
the soul in Ved^nta. According to Ved^nta
the gross body includes the material form which
is the outermost sheath and the sheath of Pr&na
or the sense-organs and sense-powers. The
subtle body includes two sheaths, mental and
intellectual. The causal body is the sheath of
jo5^ulness. Beyond these five is the true Self,
the Absolute. When the mind reaches this
state, the highest Samadhi or God-consciousness
is the result.
How to pray is the next question. Let us
not pray for things of this world, but pray like
NS,rada. NSrada said to R^ma Chandra: "0
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF KAMAKRISHNA
Rima, grant that I may be favored with Bhakti,
love, devotion and self -surrender
Howtoprar. ^^ ^^^ Lotus of Thy feet." "Be
it so," said RAma. "But wilt thou not ask for
anything else?" N^rada replied: "Lord, may
it please Thee to grant that I may not be at-
tracted by Thy Mkyk, which fascinates the
creatures of this world." R^ma Chandra said
once more: "Be it so, NSrada; but wilt thou
not ask for something else?" N&rada replied:
"No, Lord, that is all I pray for."
Jn^a (knowledge) varies in degree and kind.
There is first the knowledge belonging to men of
DacTMiat the world — ordinary mortals. This
imowMi^ knowledge is not sufficiently power-
ful. It may be compared to the light of a lamp
which illumines only the inside of a room. The
knowledge of a Bhakta (devotee) is a stronger
light and may be compared to the light of the
moon which causes to be visible things outside
the room as well as those inside of it. But the
Jn^na of an Incarnation of God is still more
powerful and it thus may be likened to a yet
stronger light, — the resplendent glory of the sun.
Such light is the illuminator of the moon as well
as o£ the whole world. Nothing is problematic
to the Divine Incarnation (Avatara). He
303
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKBISHNA
solves the most difficult problems of life and
soul as the simplest things in the world. His ex-
position of the most intricate questions in which
humanity is interested is such as a child can
follow. He is the sun of Divine Knowledge
whose light dispels the acctimulated ignorance
of ages.
So long as the man is immersed in worldli-
ness he cannot attain to Knowledge Divine
and cannot see God. Does muddy
knowiedce Water ever reflect the sun or any sur-
■ndthg rounding object ? Spiritual knowledge
is occasionally visible in worldly peo-
ple, but very seldom. It does-not last long. It
is like the light of a lamp. No, no, it is like a ray
of the sun — as if a ray were coming through a
very small hole in the wall. Worldly people
repeat the Holy Name of the Lord, but there is
no longing in the heart. They have no per-
sistence. Whether they attain or not, they do
not care. They are bound by Karma and must
reap the results of their works. Is there no
remedy for this state, no hope for the worldly
man? Yes, there is. Drop a purifying agent,
say a piece of alum, into muddy water; the
water is purified and the impurities settle down
at the bottom of the vessel. Discrimination of
304
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the Real from the unreal phenomenal i
and non-attachment to the world are the two
purifying agents. Thus it is that the worldly
man ceases to be worldly and becomes pure.
Worldly people have the knowledge of diver-
sity, which is the same as ignorance. But true
knowledge makes one realize the unity of ex-
istence. "This is gold, that is brass" is igno-
rance, while "all is gold" is true knowledge. All
differentiation ceases, when true knowledge
comes.
Sankara * was a great JnSni. He had true
Self-knowledge; he realized one Brahman every-
Suiuraaod where and in all beings. He recog-
flw Pariah, nized no distinction in caste or creed.
At one time, however, he had the consciousness
of difference; he would differentiate a pariah
from a high-caste Brahmin or a sage. He
would not touch a pariah after bathing in the
sacred river Ganges. One day a pariah was
carrying animal flesh along the river bank as
Sankara was coming from his bath and the
pariah ran against him. Sankara exclaimed:
"Sirrah, how darest thou touch me?" The
pariah replied: "Neither hast thou touched me
^Sanlcaia, same as SankaraohArya. See note p. 279.
305
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COSPEL OF RAMAERISHNA
nor have I touched thee. The Atman is ptire.
it is neither body nor the elements of the body.
It is far above the twenty-four categories of the
universe. Thou art the real Atman: so am I.
How can I touch thee?" Sankara bowed down
before the pariah and lol the pariah trans
figured himself into Shiva, the Lord of wisdom.
At that moment Sankara's spiritual eyes were
open and he realized the absolute oneness of the
Atman. "I am pure and spotless Atman,
eternally free": this is the nature of true Self-
knowledge.
Spiritual practices (S&dhana) are absolutely
necessary for Self-knowledge; but i£ there be
spiritaai perfect faith, then a little practice
v'^*':—- will be enough. One must have faith
in the words of the Guru or spiritual master.
VyAsa * was about to cross the river Jamun^.
At this moment the Gopis (shepherdesses) ar-
rived. They also wished to go across, but there
was no ferry-boat. They asked Vyasa, "Lord,
what shall we do?" VySsa replied: "Do not
worry, I will get you across the river; but I am
\ytM ind very hungry. Can you give me some-
ih* oopii. t{iing to eat?" The Gopis had with
them a quantity of milk, cream and fresh butter.
• VjSsa, see note p. 108.
306
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
He consumed them all. The Gopis then asked:
"What about crossing the river?" VySsa
stood near the edge of the water and prayed:
"0 Jamunal as I have not eaten anything
to-day, by that virtue I ask Thee to divide the
waters, so that we can walk across Thy bed and
reach the other side." No sooner did he utter
these words than the waters parted and the dry
bed was laid bare. The Gopis were amazed.
They thought: "How could he say, 'as I have
not eaten anything to-day,' when just now he
has eaten so much?" They did not see that
this was a proof of firm faith ; that VySsa had
the faith that he did not eat anything, but that
the Lord who dwelt within him was the real
Eater.
The first stage _of "spiritual practice is associa-
I tion with spiritual people, the company of holy
sia«B<it«ii^ nien. The second stage is faith in
iiiiai pnctio. things relating to the Spirit. The
third stage is single-minded devotion to one's
Ideal. The Ideal may be one's Guru, the
spiritual teacher, the Impersonal Brahman, the
Personal God or any of His manifestations. The
fourth stage is the state of being struck speech-
less at the thought of God. The fifth stage,
when the feeling of devotion to God reaches the
,„,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRIEHNA
highest point; it is called Mah^bh^va. The
devotee sometimes laughs, sometimes weeps
like a madman. He loses all control over his
body. This state is not attained by ordinary
human beings who are not capable of conquer-
ing the flesh. It is reached by Incarnations of
God who appear in this world for the salvation
of mankind. The sixth stage, Prema or ecstatic
love, goes hand in hand with MahabhSva. It
is the most intense love of God and is strictly
the highest state of spirituality. The two
marks of this stage are the forgetfulness of this
world and the forgetfulness of self, which in-
cludes one's own body.
After delivering this sermon, the BhagavSn
said to His audience that He would be glad to
answer any question. But none was asked, so
the Bhagav^n continued;
Knowledge (JnSna) cannot be communicated
all at once. Its attainment must be gradual.
Attainment Suppose a fever is of a severe type
ofknowiedsa The doctof would not give quinine
'"^ under such circumstances. He knows
that such a remedy would do no good. The
fever must first leave the patient, which re-
quires time, and then the quinine will take
effect. Sometimes the fever will go off without
308
u. J...... Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRXSHNA
the help of quinine or any other medicine. Pre-
cisely the same is the case with the man who
seeks for knowledge. To him religious precepts
often prove useless so long as he is immersed in
worldhness. Allow him a certain time for en-
joyment of the things of the world, then his
attachment to the world will gradually wear off.
This is exactly the moment for the success of
any religious instructions that may be given to
him. Till then all such instructions will be
entirely thrown away like pearls before swine.
Many come to me and I have observed how some
of them are anxious to listen to my words.
But others of the company appear to be rest-
less and impatient in my presence. They say
to their friends in whispers: "Let us go, let us
go. Well, if you wish to stay, we will go to the
boat and wait for you there." Spiritual awaken-
ing is very much a question of time. The
teacher is a mere help.
"nie meeting then broke up.
Sri Rimakrishna (to a disciple) : The fact is,
KMrma (poi ^11 this desife for knowledge or for
•cUmu). freedom depends upon one's Karma
in one's previous incarnations.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Disciple: Yes, Bhagavan. it is so difficult to
understand one's self. We see the self only as
it appears to us. Behind it there may be a
hundred previous incarnations. We walk upon
the floor of a house but we never stop to see how
it is nmde and what various things are beneath
it.
The Bhagavfln smiled at the disciple and left
His seat. He went out into the veranda next
to the western door of His room and for a time
looked on the sun which was sinking rapidly
towards the horizon. Then He gazed down
upon the holy waters of the sacred stream be-
fore Him. A disciple was walking alone in
front of the Temple on the embankment of the
Ganges. He was watching Balar^m and others
'getting into a boat to return to Calcutta. It
being midsummer, the sacred waters of the
river were broken into waves. The day was
drawing to its close, it was past five, the sky
was cloudy and the clouds presented a most
wonderful sight, especially towards the north.
In the foreground were the Panchavati, backed
by a line of tall willow trees, with the silver
stream flowing past on their right. In the back-
ground were the beautiful dark blue clouds and
the dark stream beneath.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAERISHNA
The disciple was looking on this charming
scene. Suddenly his attention was arrested by
the Bhagav^n coming from the south in the
direction of the Panchavati and the willow trees.
As Sri R&makrishna, smiling like a child of five,
came up, the beautiful picture seemed to be -
more than complete. There was the universe
on the one hand, tind on the other the One Soul
who reflected the universe and saw it in its real
nature. Yes, the disciple felt that in that
Presence he was as near the solution of the
problem of life as he could be. It was this
Presence that made everything — the images of
gods and goddesses, men, women and children,
trees, flowers, leaves, every inch of ground in
that Temple instinct with spirituality and full
of the Joy of the Lord. Yes, he felt truly that
it was the God-Man before him that had thrown
an irresistible charm over everything in that
wonderful place — over every object, divine or
human, animate or inanimate, seen by the
outer or by the inner eye, from the dust under
His Hallowed Feet to those sacred images wor-
shipped in the Temple or perceived by looking
within that other temple, the body of man, that
veritable "revelation in the flesh." He felt -
like one spell-bound in that Presence !
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKJUSHNA
It was evening. After the usual prayers and
other religious exercises enjoined on the pious
Hindu were over, there was yet another meeting
between the Master and the same disciple. The
disciple then asked, referring to the apparently
contradictory systems of religious faith among
the Hindus: Bhagavan, is this a contradiction:
some among the Hindus hold that Sri Krishna
is identical with KSli. the Divine Mother, while
others hold that Sri Krishna is the Atman, the
Absolute, and that RAdha is Chitsakti. the
self-conscious Power that rules the universe,
the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer, the Per-
sonal God?
Bhagavfln: The former view is that of the
Devi Pur^n. Be it so, but there need be no
Ood ii contradiction. God is Infinite. Inh-
'■"■"•■ nite are the Forms in which He mani-
fests Himself. Infinite also are the ways leading
to Him.
Disciple: Oh, I see! The end in view is to
get on the roof of the house. The means may
be various, as Thou hast often said, — a single
rope, a bamboo, a wooden ladder, or a staircase?
Bhagav&n: Quite so. That you can under
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Stand this so qtiickly is due to the Grace of God.
Without His Grace doubt is never
Oraca ol Ood. , , ,-, . , ,
cleared up. Our attitude towards
God should be like that of HanumSn . who said
to Rama Chandra: "Lord, I care not for a
special time or place for meditation. What
alone 1 am concerned with is to meditate upon
Thee."
Suppose you go into a garden to eat mangoes.
Is it necessary for you first to count the nuinber
Lon of Qod °* trees in the garden, which may be
iiMonaiUiit many thousands, then the number
"•^"^ of branches, which may be hundreds
of thousands? Certainly not; you should at
6nce, on the contrary, proceed to eat. In the
same way, it is useless to enter into all sorts of
discussions and controversies regarding God,
which would only cause a waste of time and
energy. One's present and most important
duty is to love God, to cultivate Bhakti or
devotion.
Disciple: Bhagavan, I greatly desire that my
work in the world should become a little less
than now. The pressure of work stands in the
way of one's giving one's whole mind to God,
does it not.''
Bhagavan: Oh yes, no doubt that is so; but
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
a wise man may work unattached and then work
will not do any harm to him.
Disciple: But that depends upon the posses-
sion of an extraordinary power of will derived
from the realization of God. First realization
of God, then work without attachment. Is it
not so. Bhagavan?
Sri Rimakrishna: I must say you are right.
But the probability is, you must have desired
Power of these things in your previous incar-
*** nations. This reminds me of the
story narrated in one of the Sacred Books, It
is said that Srt Krishna had made his abode in
the heart of RAdhi; so long there was no Lild
(the life of sport that he hved in Vrind3.van).
But he felt the desire to take the form of a
human being; the consequence of this desire
was that he came to Vrinda.van. Such is the
power of desire. Your duty now is to pray
without ceasing for love of God, so that the
bondage of work shall gradually fall off.
Disciple: Is it, Bhagavan, the duty of the
householder to save against a rainy day?
Bhagavan : Try to follow the precept of
CntaUntn Jodrtckchdldbha, that is, availing
™ *"'■ oneself of things that come naturally
in one's way without one's having to put
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
forth any efforts for the attainment of those
things. Do not take so much thought for
things of that kind, such as saving against a
rainy day. Cast your cares on God, What do
you think takes place at the time of my
Samadhi?
Disciple : Thy spirit is then in the sixth plane
mentioned in the VedS,nta. Then Thou comest
down to the fifth plane when Thou beginnest to
talk.
Bhagav^n: I am only a humble instrument
in His hands. He is doing all these things. I
do not know anything.
Disciple: Because of this wonderful self-
abnegation all people are drawn to Thee. Thou
didst say that Mkyk is attachment to" one's own
relatives and friends, but Dayft is love extend-
ing to all mankind— even to all God's creatures.
I do not understand the difference. Is not
Dayd. a feeling which makes a man cling to the
world ?
Bhagavltn: Day^ is not a bad feeling. On
the contrary it is elevating and leads one God-
ward. Do you believe in God with form or -
without form?
Disciple : I go so far as the attributes. God
has attributes. So far I see clearly enough. But
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is it not a fact that it is impossible to think of
the "Formless" without the help of a form?
In any case, we have to go through forms and
symbols.
Bhagav^n (smiling): You see that I lay
stress upon the worship of God with form as
eminently favorable for the cultivation of
devotion.
Disciple: Is Pandit Sasadhar * making any
progress in this direction, — in the culture of
Bhakti or devotion ?
Bhagavin: Yes; but his tendency is in the
direction of the path of knowledge. These
men belong to a class of their own. They do
not see that this way is exceedingly difficult.
' It is sufficient if one can give up the
* world in the mind. Outward re-
nunciation is not absolutely necessary.
Disciple: What Thou sayest is, as it seems to
me, intended for the weak. For men of the
highest class is meant renunciation in the strict
eense of the word. They must give up the
world not only in their mind but also out-
wardly.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Bh^:av^ : You have heard all about renun-
ciation as I have taught it.
Disciple: Yes, Bhagavan, I understand by
renunciation jiot only the absence of attach-
ment to things of this world. It is non-attach-
ment to things of this world plus something.
That something is the love of God.
Bhagavin: You are right. I am glad that
you see this. God-vision cannot be made clear
state of Ood- to others. The state of things that
'i^^* comes about may, however, be de-
scribed to a certain extent. You have no
doubt been to the theatre to witness a dramatic
performance. Before the performance com-
mences, you must have noticed that the people
are very busy talKng to one another on a
variety of subjects, — politics, household affairs,
official business. But no sooner does the drop-
ciutain go up and mountains, cottages, rivers,
men are presented to view than all noise ceases,
all conversation ends and each individual
spectator is all attention to the novel scene that
is being enacted before him. Pretty much the
same is the state of him who is blessed with
God-vision.
Disciple: Ecstatic love of God, as Thou hast
said this day, is the string with which to bind
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKtUSHNA
the God of love. With such love one may be
sure of seeing God. But the question is whether
such love is within the reach of the man of the
world (Grihastha).
The Bhagav^n remained silent.
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CHAPTER XI
SRI RAMAKRISHNA AT THE SINTI • BRAhMO-
samAj
Bmagavan Sri Ramakrishna had been askeS
to attend the anniversary meeting of the Br^t
mo-Samftj, which that year was held in 'the
beautiful garden-house of a gentleman named
Veni Babu-t The morning service was over
when the Bhagavan arrived in a carriage, witlj
certain of His disciples and took His place. on &
raised seat set apart for Him on the veranda
overlooking a large quadrangle. Crowds of dev-
otees, followers and members of the Btahmo-
Sama.j gathered round Him in a circle. The
prayers, music and other exercises of a devo-
• Sinti, a village about four miles north of Calcutta.
fVeni Bflbu was a tolbwer of the Brfthmo-Sanilj. He
regarded Rimakiishna as the most Divine man of the age.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
tional nature then continued. On hearing the
music, Srt Rflmakrishna went into Sain9,dhi and
remained motionless for some time. Then re-
gaining His sense -consciousness, He opened His
mouth and in rapt tones began to speak thus:
The realization of God is not the same as
psychic power. There are many Yoga powers,
PiycUc but do you remember what Krishna
p°"*^ said to Arjuna about them? When
you see one who exercises any of these powers,
you may know that such a one has not realized
God, because the exercise of these powers re-
quires egotism (Ahamkara) , which is an obstacle
in the path of supreme realization.
There is, indeed, great danger in possessing
psychic powers. Tot4puri thus taught me
Daonr'oi *^'^ truth: A Siddha (a man who
' ptfcWc had absolute control over psychic
powcn. phenomena) was sitting on the sea-
shore. Suddenly there arose a violent storm,
which caused him great distress. Desiring to
stop it, he exclaimed: "Let this storm cease!"
His command was instantly fulfilled. A vessel
was passing at a distance with all sails set. As
the wind suddenly died away, the vessel cap-
sized and all on board were drowned. The
Siddha was the cause of the disaster and there-
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
fore he had to take the sin of killing so many
innocent people. As the result of tfiis terrible
sin. he lost his power and after death he had to
suffer in purgatory.
There was another Siddha, who was very
proud of his psychic powers. He was a good
TbeSMdiB ^oa.n and an ascetic. One day the
uddw Lord came to him in the form of a
saint and said: "Revered sir, I have
heard that thou possesses! wonderful powers."
The good man received him kindly and gave
him a seat. At this moment an elephant passed
by. The saint tisked him: "Sir, if thou desirest,
canst thou kill this elephant?" The Siddha
replied: "Yes, it is possible"; and taking a
handful of dust, he repeated some mantram
over it and threw it on the elephant. Imme-
diately the animal roared, fell on the ground
in agony and died. Seeing this, the saint ex-
claimed: "What wonderful power thou possess-
est! Thou hast killed such a huge creature in
a moment!" The saint then entreated him,
saying: "Thou must also possess the power to
bring him back to life." The Siddha replied:
"Yes, that is also possible." Again he took a
handful of dust, chanted a tnaniram, threw it on
the elephant, and lo! the elephant revived and
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
came back to life. The saint was amazed at the
sight and again exclaimed: "How wonderful in-
deed are thy powers! But let me ask thee one
question. Thou hast killed the elephant and
brought him back to life; what hast thou gained ?
Hast thou realized God?" Thus saying, the
saint disappeared.
Most subtle is the path of spirituality. God
cannot be realized so long as there is the least
^^ desire for powers in the heart. You
cannot thread a needle so long as
there are fibres at the point of the
thread. Krishna said to Arjuna:
"Brother, if thou wishest to realize Me (God),
thou must not desire any psychic powers. The
possession of psychic power brings pride and
egotism, then one easily forgets God, So long
as there is egotism, Divine realization does
not come."
There are four different stages in the path of
realization. . First, that of a beginner, a Pra-
Fountaiu vartaka. or one who has just begun
of reaiiuiioii. j-q worship God. Those who belong
to this class begin to wear the sign of their creed,
such as the rosary or the mark on the forehead,
and they are very particular about the external
forms of their sect. The second stage is that
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
of the neophyte or Sddkaka. Those of this
class are farther advanced. They do not
parade their beliefs and do not attach so much
importance to external signs. Their worship is
internal. They repeat the Lord's Name silently,
pray without ostentation and feel some longing
for God. The third stage is that of Siddha.
What is a Siddha.' One who is firmly con-
vinced in his heart and soul that God exists,
that He does everything, that He is the Omnipo-
tent Being, and who has obtained a first glimpse
of Him. The fourth stage is that of the Siddha
of Siddhas. One who has reached this stage
has not only seen God but has made acquaint-
ance with Him and has established a definite
relation with Him, — either that of a son to his
father or that of a mother to her child, or that
of friend to friend or of brother to brother, or
the relation of husband and wife.
To believe that fire is in the wood is faith.
This is one thing, but it is another thing to
Paifliand bring that fire out of the wood, to
"""*•*»"■ cook something with it, to eat this
and to attain peace and happiness afterwards.
So to believe that God is in the world and to
catch a distant glimpse of Him is one thing;
but to come into direct communion with Him,
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
to enjoy His company and taste Divine Bliss is
another: No one can set a limit to the various
aspects of God which a Bhakta can realize.
They rise ever higher and higher.
A devotee: Bhagavan, why can some attain
to realization more quickly than others?
R^makrishna: It depends upon the Sam-
sk4ras or impressions of previous lives. Nothing
happens suddenly or by accident. A certain
man drank an ounce of wine in the morning
and began to act like a drunkard. People,
seeing him, wondered why he should be drunk
after taking one small glass of wine. Hearing
them, however, another man replied: "Because
he has been drinking all night." There have
Sudden been many instances of sudden con-
convtrtkn, version. People living in the midst
of wealth and luxury have suddenly renounced
the world. Such sudden changes are the re-
sults of spiritual impressions acquired in the
previous life. In the final incarnation of a
Jiva, Sattwa qualities prevail: his heart, and
soul long for realization, the mind becomes un-
attached to worldly pleasures and constantly
remains fixed upon the Supreme Being.
These people here believe in and worship God
without form; that is right. (Addressing the
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GQSFEL OF RAMAKRESEINA
Br&hmo devotees) Be iirm only in devotion to
rMiuiHiMiii °"* aspect, either in God with form
ImUi iwcMBrr or in God without form. Firmness in
"* faith is the first thing necessary
for realization. Nothing can be achieved with-
out firmness. If you have firm faith in God
with form you will attain to Him; similarly if
you firmly believe in an impersonal and form-
less Deity, you will reach Him. Candy will
taste sweet whether you bite it straight or
croolttd. But you will have to be firm and you
will have to call upon Him with extreme long-
ing. When a worldly man speaks of God, do
you know what it seems like to me? It is just
like children quarrelling in their play and taking
the name of God in vain ; or like a fop walking
in the garden, stick in hand, who picks a flower
and idly exclaims: "What a beautiful flower
God has madel" And even this mindfulness
of God exists only for a moment, like drops of
water on a red-hot iron. Firmness in devotion
to one aspect is absolutely necessary. Dive
deep. Without diving into the ocean no one
can get the treasure. If you float on the sur-
face, you cannot reach it. Learn to love God.
Be absorbed in His love. I have heard your
prayers and devotional exercises; but why do
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
you Speak so much of the phenomena which
God has made? "O Lord, Thou hast made
the sky, the mighty ocean, the moon, the sun,
the stars and planets. O Lord, Thou hast
made all these, and so on." Why do you dwell
upon these things? Seeing the beautiful gar-
den of a rich man, everyone will exclaim: "What
a beautiful tree! What a handsome flowerl
What a large pond and what fine fish in it I
What an artistic building! With what rich
paintings is the drawing-room decorated ! "
At the sight of all this everyone is struck with
wonder, but how many seek to know the master
of the garden? A few only. Those who seek
God with intense lon^ng see Him, make ac-
quaintance with Him, speak with Him, just
I in the same manner as I am speaking to you.
; I am telling you the truth when I say that God
! can be seen. Who will listen to me and who will
■believe me?
Can God be found in the Scriptures? After
reading the Scriptures, the highest knowledge
Ood ■Dd the one can get is about the existence of
Scriptural. ^ Qq(J • but God does not appear to
him who does not dive below the surface. Un-
til then doubts are not removed and Divine
knowledge does not come. You may read
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
thousands of volumes, you may repeat verses
and hymns by hundreds, but if you cannot dive
into the ocean of Divinity with extreme longing
of the soul, you cannot reach God. A scholar
may delude the people by his knowledge of the
Scriptures and by his book-learning, but
through these he will not attain to God. Scrip-
tures, books, sciences, what good will they do?
Nothing can be acquired without the
Oract ol Qod. ,
Grace of the Lord. Yearn after His
Grace, devote your energy to obtaining it and /
by His Grace you will see Him and He will be /
glad to speak to you. '
Sub-Judge: Revered Sir, is He more gracious .'
to some than to others? In that case He would
be partial and unjust.
Sri R^makrishna: How is that? Is a horse
the same thing as an earthen pot ? Vidy&s&gara
Oiffennu ia asked me the same question. He
powtn. said to me: "Has God given greater
powers to some than to others?" I replied:
"God pervades all living creatures equally.
He dwells in me in the same way that He dwells
in the smallest ant, but there is a difference in
powers. If all human beings were equa] in
powers, then why have we come to see you,
after hearing of you? Is it because you have
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
two horns on your head? No, it is because you
are kind, charitable, learned and have many
other qualities greater than in others. It is
for this reason that your fame is so great. Do
you not know men who alone can defeat a
hundred men, and again a man who will run
away from a single person?" If there be no
difference in powers, why should people respect
Keshab Chunder Sen so much? It is said in
the Git&, he whom many people respect and
honor either for his knowledge or for his musical
gifts or for his oratorical powers or for any other
reason, in him, be assured, there is a special
manifestation of Divine power.
A Br&hnao devotee (to Sub-Judge):' Why do
you not accept what he says?
Sri R&makrishna (to the Br&hmo devotee):
What kind of man are you ? Do you not know
that it is hypocrisy to accept an opinion out-
wardly without believing in it?
Sub-Judge: Revered Sir, shall we have to re-
nounce the world?
Sri Ritmakrishna: No. Why should you re-
nounce? You can attain to God while living
wanWpOod In the world; but at first for a few
in HUhidb ^ayg yQu ^in have to live in soHtude
and worship Him alone. It 'is necessary to
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
have a quiet place near your house where you
can occasionally be alone for hours at a time
and yet go home for your meals. Keshab Sen,
Mozoomdir, and others have told me that they
are like RSj^ Janaka, who lived in the world
and yet attained to the highest realization. I
replied : " It is not an easy thing to be like RHjfl
Janaka. R&j4 Janaka was at first a great
ascetic and practised extreme asceticism for
many years. You could be like him if you
practised a little. A man who writes En^ish
very fluently has not acquired that facility all
at once ; he has had to practise for a long time."
I also said to Keshab Sen: "Without going into
solitude, how can one cure so'acute a disease as
worldhness? It is like the worst form of typhoid
fever. If you keep bottles of chutney and jars
of water where a patient is suffering from this
fever, he will surely be tempted to eat the one
and drink the other and then it will be im-
possible for the best physicians to cure him.
Objects of lust are like the bottles of chutney,
and desire to enjoy is Uke the thirst after water.
Worldly thirst has no end. And so long as the
object of thirst is kept within reach of the
patient, how can he be cured? Therefore I
say, withdraw from the place where those ob-
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRLSHNA
jects are and remain in solitude for a time.
Then when the disease is cured, you may live in
the ■world without being tempted by it. It is
then that you will live like RAj& Janaka."
But in the first stage you must be very watch-
ful. In solitude steadily practise devotional
exercises. When a fig-tree is young, it must be
protected by a hedge, otherwise it may be eaten
up by sheep and cattle; but when the trunk
has grown thick, the hedge is no longer neces-
sary. You may tie an elephant to it without
hurting it. If after practising in solitude you
have acquired true Bhakti (devotion to God)
and have gained spiritual strength, then you
can go home and^live in the world; nothing can
corrupt you.
Sub- Judge (with great delight); Revered Sir.
these are most beautiful teachings. We need
to practise in solitude, but we always forget it
and think that we have at once become RS.J&
Janaka. It has given me great peace and joy
to hear that it is not absolutely necessary to
leave the world and that God can be realized
even at home.
Srt Ramakrishna: Renunciation, why should
you practise it? When you have to fight, it is
■ better to do so from within the fort. You will
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
have to fight against the senses, against hunger,
Hcnnndidoa' thirst and other desires. This fight
ami worldly is easier from within the fort of
""^ the world. In this age our life de-
pends upon material food; if you cannot get
anything to eat for a day, your mind will be
turned away from God. A man once said to
his wife: "I am going to leave the world." The
wiffi was very practical and replied: "Why wilt
thou wander from house to house for food?
When thou art in need of food, is it not better
to go to one house than to ten or more?" Why
should you renounce ? It is so much more con-
venient to live at home. You do not have to
worry about food; then you have your wife
with you. Whenever your body needs any-
thing, you will have it right at hand; when you
are ill, you will have many to nurse you. Janaka,
Vy^sa. Vasishta and others first attained God-
consciousness and then lived in the world.
They had two swords in their hands, — the one
of wisdom and the other of work.
Sub-Jddge: Revered Sir, how can we know
that true wisdom?
Sri RSmakrishna; When true wisdom comes,
God does not appear to be very far. He is no
longer there, but here in the heart. He is no
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISBNA
longer that but this. He dwells withiti all.
Whoever seeks Him finds Him.
Sub- Judge : I am a sinner; how can I say that
God dwells in me ?
Sri Rftmakrishna: You always talk of sin
and sinners; this is the Christian doctrine.
Have faith in the Holy Name of the Lord. By
the power of faith all sins will be washed away.
Sub- Judge : Revered Sir, how can I have
such a faith?
RAmakrishna : First be devoted to God.
You have in one of your songs: "0 Lord, canst
Thou be known without devotion, simply by
good works and sacrifice?" That which brings
true devotion and unselfish love for God you
must pray for with earnest longing in silence.
■ Shed tears of repentance until you have ac-
quired these.
A Brahmo devotee: Revered Sir, when will
they get time? They have to work in their
offices.
Rimakrishna (to Sub-Judge): Welt, resign
yourself to the will of the Lord and draw up a
Radtnai power of attorney in His favor. If
toOod. anyone depends entirely upon some
good man, does he do any evil to hira? Inter-
nally lay upon Him your whole burden and sit
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
calmly, without anxiety. Whatever He has
given you to do, do that. A kitten has no self-
reliance. It mews and mews and stays where
the mother cat places it. She may put it on a
soft bed or on the hard floor of the kitchen; the
kitten is always content and depends entirely
on the will of the mother-
Sub-Judge; We are householders with cer-
tUmmbtMtt't tain duties ; how long shall we have
'""^ to perform these?
R^makrishna: Of course you have your
duties. You wilt have to bring up your chil-
dren, sustain your wife, save enough to maintain
your family after your death. If you did not
do this you would be heartless and cruel. Even
great sages like Sukadeva practised loving-kind-
ness. He is not a man who has neither heart
nor kindness.
Sub-Judge: How long shall we maintain our
children ?
Rimakrishna: Until they have passed the
age of minority. When the young bird is able
to take care of itself, it pecks at the parent
bird, if she tries to come near it.
Sub-Judge: What is the duty towards the
wife?
R&makrishna: As long as you live you should
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GOSPEL of RAMAKRISHNA
give her spiritual advice and sustain and care
for her. If she is faithful, save enough to make
her comfortable after your death. But when
God-consciousness comes, no worldly duties
can bind you. Then if you do not think of the
morrow, God will think for vou. If
aod provide* . „ , . ■' .,
loriboHwho you attam to God -consciousness. He
iMvi: miuai ^i\\ provide for the support of your
family. When a Zemindar dies,
leaving a son under age, a guardian manages
the estate for the child. These are legal affairs;
you understand them all.
Sub-Judge: Yes, Revered Sir.
Bijoy: Oh, how great, how wonderful are
these words! He who thinks of the Lord with
unwavering mind and a heart overflowing with
devotion and love for God, is undoubtedly taken
care of by the Lord. The Lord carries every-
thing for him like the guardian of the
Zemindar's son. Oh, when shall I reach such
a state! How blessed are those who have
attained it I
A Brahmo devotee: Revered Sir, can true
wisdom be acquired in the world? Can God be'
realized in the world?
Ramakrishna: You are on the fence; you
wish to enjoy both God and the world. Of
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
course God can be realized by one who lives in
the world.
Brahnio devotee: What is the sign of one
Ssmaiiniii who has attained true wisdom living
,*•«»»"■■ in the world?
Rlmakrishna : When the repetition of the
Name of the Lord will bring tears to the eyes,
send a thrill through the whole body and make
the hair stand on end. The spiritual eye must
be opened. It is open when the mind is
purified. Then the presence of Divinity will
be realized everywhere and every woman will
appear as Divine Mother. Everything is in
the mind. The impure mind brings attachment
to the world, and the purified mind brings the
realization of God. The impure mmd of a man
becomes attached to a woman. Woman natu-
rally loves man and man naturally loves woman,
and from this spring attachment and worldliness.
Every woman represents Divine Motherhood.
The same Divine Mother appears in all women
'Diviiw Mother under various forms. It is said in
iadwoMM. the Scriptures that Nftrada in prayer
thus addressed Rdma: "0 RSma, Thou art
Purusha, Thou appearest in the form of all men ,
and Sit^, Thy Prakriti, appears in the form of
all women. Thou art man and Sit& is woman.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Wherever there is masculine form, it is Thy
manifestation; and wherever there is feminine
form, it is the manifestation of Sit4, the Divine
Mother."
So long as there is attachment to worldliness,
and thirst for objects of lust, so king there is
attachment to the body. As at-
tachment to the world grows less,
the mind goes towards the Atman or the true
Selt and the attachment to the physical body
becomes less. When the attachment to the
world has entirely vanished. Self-knowledge
comes and the Atman is separated from the
physical body. When an ordinary cocoanut is
cut into halves, it is very difficult to separate the
kernel from the shell ; but when it is dried, the
kerne! becomes separate from the shell by itself.
You can feel it by shaking it. A man who has
realized God becomes like the dry cocoanut ; his
soul becomes separate from his body and all
attachment to the body leaves him. He is not
affected by the pleasure and pain of the body;,
he does not seek the comforts of the body; he
moves from place to place like an emancipated
soul. "A true devotee of my Divine Mother
attains absolute freedom in this life and is
eternally blissful." When you notice that
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GOSPEL OP RAMAKRISHNA
tears flow and the thrill comes at the repetition
of the Name of the Lord, then you may know
that attachment to sense-objects has become
less and the devotee is on the path of realization.
For instance, if the match is dry it will ignite
the moment it is struck; but if it be wet, you
can strike it flfty times and yet you cannot get
a light. Similarly when the mind is soaked
in the water of lust and thirst for worldly
objects, Divine enlightenment does not come in
it, however hard you may try; it is merely a
waste of time and labor. But when that water
dries up, spiritual illumination comes instantly'
Brahmo devotee: By what method can that
water be dried up?
Rflmakrishna : Pray to the Divine Mother
with an earnest and sincere heart; when you
_ see Her, the water of worldly attach-
ThiDivfaH , , . .-^
MoOMrwn ment will dry up. Attachment to
lust and wealth will drop away from
you. If you can feel Her as your
own mother, it will come to you at that very
moment. She is not like a godmother, but she
18 your own Mother. Go to Her and impor-
tunately ask for what you want. An impor-
tunate child hangs on its mother's gown and
begs a penny to buy a paper Idte. The mother
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
may be engaged in talking to other girls and at
first she may not wish to give it, saying: "No,
your father has forbidden it. I'll speak to him
when he comes home. You will spoil every-
thing if you get a paper kite." But when the
thild begins to cry and will not give in, then the
mother says to her companions; "Just wait a
minute, let me qiiiet the child"; she then gets
the key to her drawer, open^ the money-box,
and gives him what he is crying for. Similarly
you cry to your Mother and pray to Her, She
will surely come to you. (Turning to Sub-
Piidaa^ Judge) What is the cause of pride
•«***■■ and egotism? Do they arise from
knowledge or ignorance? Egotism is the qual-
ity of Tamas arising from ignorance. It is a
barrier which prevents the soul from seeing
God. When it dies, all troubles cease. Of what
avail is it to be egotistic? This body with all
its comforts and luxuries will not last long. A
drunkard, after seeing an image at the DurgS
festival beautifully decorated with jewels and
costly ornaments, exclaimed: " Mother, ybu may
decorate yourself with all these valuable things,
but after three days they will take you out and
throw you in the Ganges." So I say to you all,
whether you be a judge or any great personage,
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
it is only for a few days. Therefore you must
not be proud or egotistic about anything.
People's characters can be divided into three
classes, — Tamas, Rajas and Sattwa. Those
Thrac rii mii 'who belong to the first class are ego-
of duncin. tistic; they sleep too much, eat too
much, and passion and anger prevail in them
Those who belong to the second class are too
much attached to work. They love nice, well-
fitting clothes and are very neat ; they care for
a luxurious, richly furnished house; when they
sit and worship God, they love to wear costly
garments; when they give anything to charity
they parade it. Those who belong to the third
class are very quiet, peaceful, unostentatious;
they are not particular about their dress, they
lead a simple life and earn a modest living, be-
cause their needs are small ; they do not flatter
for selfish ends; their dwelling is modest; they
do not worry about their children's dress; they
are not anxious for fame, nor do they care for
the admiration or adulation of others; they
worship God, give charity and meditate silently
and in secret. This Sattwa quality is the last
step of the ladder which leads to the roof of
Divinity. A person reaching this state does
not have to wait long for God-consciousness.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
(To Sub- Judge) You said a little while ago
that ali men were equal, but now you see how
characters vary.
Music for a time interrupted the teaching and
Bhagav^n Sri Rlima.krishna, on hearing it, again
went into SamMhi. The BrShmo devotees sang
the Sankirtan, and when they had finished, all
those present resumed their seats, Bijoy taking
his place just before Srt RSmakrishna. It was
the hour for another Br&hmo service at which
Bijoy, who was the leader of the Br&hmo-
Samaj, was to read from the Vedas and give an
address. Before going to the platfonn, he
asked Srt R&makrishna's permission, saying:
"Bhagavan, grant me Thy blessing, then I
shall begin the service."
RJlmakrishna : When egotism is gone, every-
thing is accomplished. "I am lecturing and
EgoAuB ud you are listening; " this sense of ego-
knowtedte. tism you must not have. Egotism
proceeds from ignorance and not from knowl-
edge. He who is free from egotism attains
knowledge. The rain-water gathers in a low
place, it runs off from a high place; similarly
the water of wisdom gathers in the humble
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAERISHNA
heart. It is very difficult to be a spiritual
leader (Acharya), One easily loses a great deal
by it. When many people show honor and re-
spect, ordinary preachers become egotistic and
are easily spoiled. They cannot go further.
They merely gain a little fame. Perhaps
people will say: "Oh! Bijoy B^bu is a good
speaker or he is ver>'. wise." that is all. Never
think. "I am speaking." I tell my Divine
Mother: "O Mother. 1 am merely an instru-
ment in Thy hands. Thou dost everything.
As Thou guidest me and makest me speak, so
shall I speak."
Bijoy (very humbly): Please give me Thy
permission. Without Thy permission I cannot
begin the service.
R^makrishna (smiling) : "Who am I to permit
you? Ask the permission of the Lord. When
genuine humility comes, there is no fear.
Bijoy repeated his request and Sri RAma-
krishna then said: "You can go and begin ac-
cording to your custom, but keep your mind on
God."
Bijoy began the service with a prayer to the
Divine Mother. After the service was over, he
came down from the platform and again sat
near Sri R&makrishna. The Bha£av4n said to
...Google
GOSPEL OF SAMAKRISHNA
him: You prayed to Divine Mother; that was
very good. They say that the mother's at-
traction towards her child is greater than the
father's. You can urge your mother more
strongly than you can your father. You have
a stronger claim on anything that belongs to
your mother than on anything of the father.
Bijoy: If Brahman the Absolute be the
Ab»iuta Divine Mother, then is She with form
BnhnuB and or without form ?
nviMMoth.. R^makrishna: The Absolute Brah-
man and the Mother of the univei'se are
one and the same. Where there is no
activity of any kind, that is the state of Ab-
solute Brahman, but where there is evolution
and destruction, there is the manifestation
of the Divine Mother. When the water of
the ocean is calm, without a wave or ripple,
that is like the state of the Absolute. When
the water is in motion and with waves, it
is the state of the Creative Energy or Divine
Mother. Divine Mother is both with form and
without form. You have faith in formless
Divinity, therefore you can think of my Mother
as formless. When your faith is firm, the
Divine Mother will show you how She is. Then
you will know that it is not that She is mere
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Absolute existence; She will come to you and
speak to you. Have faith and you will get
everything. If you have faith in the formless
Divinity, you must make that faith as finn as
a rock. But do not be dogmatic; you must
never dogmatize about God. You must not
say that He is like this and not like anything
else. You may say : " I believe in a formless
Divinity, but what else He is, is known to Him.
I do not know, I cannot understand." The
small intellect of man cannot grasp the whole
nature of God. A vessel which can hold a
pound only, how can it contain four pounds?
If God reveals Himself to one by His Grace and
makes one understand His nature, then one
realizes Him and not until then. The Absolute
and the Divine Mother are one.
Bijoy : How can we attain to the vision of the
Divine Mother and the realization of the
Absolute ?
RAmakrishna : With earnest longing and sin-
cerity pray and cry. When the heart will be
purified, then von will see the vision
VIdon of (be ^ . ■'
DiviD* Momcr as m pure water you can see the re-
flection of the sun. Upon the mirror
of the ego of the devotee is to be
seen the reflection oi the Absolute Mother of the
.., Google
GOSPEL OP RAMAKRISHNA
universe with form. But the mirror should be
thoroughly polished; if there be a speck of dirt
the reflection will not be perfect. When the
sun is to be seen on the water of the ego and
when there is no other means of getting a view
of the real Sun, so long the reflected image of
the sun should be considered as absolutely real.
As long as the ego is real, so long the reflected
image of the sun is real, not partially but ab-
solutely. That reflected image of the sun is the
Divine Mother. If you wish to reach the Abso-
lute Brahman, which is impersonal and without
attributes, then start from that reflected image
and march towards the real Sun. The Personal
God or Brahman with attributes is the one who
listens to prayers. Pray to Him and He will
grant the highest wisdom, because the same
Personal God has the Impersonal aspect also,
which is the Absolute Brahman. Divine En-
ergy, which is the Mother of the universe, is
another aspect of the same Brahman. All
these merge into absolute oneness. The Mother
can give Brahma-Jnana, the knowledge of the
Absolute, as also true devotion and absolute
love, God is the internal ruler of all. For-
saking egotism, resign your will to His will; you
will get everything you desire. When you mix
344
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
with other people, you should love them all,
Bccoawone become absolutely one with them,
with aiL Do not hate anyone. Do not
recognize caste or creed. Do not say that this
man beheves in a Personal God, that man be-
lieves in an Impersonal God ; this man worships
God with form, that man worships God without
form ; this man is a Hindu, that one is a Chris-
tian or a Mohammedan. Saying this, do not
condemn one another. These distinctions ex-
ist because God has made different people
understand Him in different ways. The differ-
ence lies in the natufe of the individuals.
Knowing this you will mix with all as closely
as possible and love them as dearly as you can.
Then when you go home, you will enjoy bliss-
ful happiness in your soul. Light the candle of
wisdom in the secret chamber of your heart.
By that light see the face of my Absolute
Mother, and by that light you will also see the
true nature of your real Self. When cowherds
AiiHctaof drive the cattle to a pasture from
od( family, different quarters, the cows form
themselves into one herd as if of the same
family; but when they return at night, they
separate, each going to its own home. So the
Bhaktas of different sects and creeds, when they
345
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
meet, are like members of one family, but when
they are by themselves, they show their peculiar
beliefs and different creeds.
It was late in the evening, and RiUnakrishna,
entering the carriage accompanied by a few
devotees, returned to Dakshineswara.
346
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CHAPTER XII
AT THE HOUSE OF BALARAM,* A DISCIPLE
Sr! Ramakrishna arrived from Dakshines-
wara at the house of His disciple Balar4m about
ten in the morning and had His breakfast there.
It was this house which the Bhagav4n chose to
make His chief "vineyard" on that day. Here
He had bound devotee after devotee by the tie
of Divine Love. It was here that He had so
often sung the Name of the Lord and danced at
the head of His disciples. It seemed as if
another Gour&nga t had set up in the house of
His disciple 'Sri v^h a fair for the "buying and
selling of Divine Love."
How great was the Master's love for His dis-
ciples! There in the Temple of Kaii alone by
t See note p. 7.
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GOSPEL OF RAMASRISHNA
Himself He often cried like a child, He so longed
to see them. Sleepless at night He would say to
the Divine Mother; "OMother! Deign to draw
them into the fold! They are so devoted to
Thee! Oh, how I long to see them! Mother,
bring them to me or take me to them." Was
this the secret of Hts coming to Balarim's
house so frequently? He declared, indeed, to
everyone: "Balar^m is a true Bhakta, he daily
worships the Lord of the universe. His offer-
ings are therefore always acceptable." But
whenever He came to His house. He would say:
"Go and invite my Narendra and other dis-
ciples. Offering food to them is the same as
offering it to God Himself. These, indeed, are
not ordinary men. They are parts of Divinity
manifest in the flesh." And many a time had
the devotees met there "at the Durbar of God's
love."
Mahendra,* who taught in a neighboring
school, had heard that Sri Rim^krishna was
visiting at Balarflm's house, so having a little
leisure he came about noon to see Him. The
mid-day dinner was over and the BhagavAn was
in the drawing-room resting. His young dis-
., Google
GOSPEL OF KAMAKRISHNA
ciples were seated round. Him. From time to
time He was taking out spices from a small
pouch. MahehdTa, entering, bowed down and
saluted His feet.
Sri RAmakrishna (affectionately): Mahendra!
You here ! Is there no school to-day ?
Mahendra: I have come directly from school.
I had just now nothing of importance to attend
to there.
A devotee: No, Revered Sir, he is playing
the truant.
Mahendra (to himself): Ah "me! It is as if
some Invisible Force had drawn me to this
place.
The Bhagav^n then grew more serious and
bade them take their seats. He said: For
some time past I have not been able to touch
any metal. Can you tell me why it is? Once
when I put my hand on a metal cup, it was
hurt as if stung by a homed fish and the pain
lasted for a long while. I had to use a metal
pitcher and I thought that I should be able to
carry it by covering it with a towel; but no
sooner did I touch it than I had excruciating
pain in my hand. Then I prayed to my Divine
Mother: "O Mother! I shall never touch metal
again. Do Thou forgive me this time."
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GOSPEL OF RAMAEiasHNA
In the afternoon Srt R^makrishna was still
seated in Balar&m's drawing-room. On His
face was a sweet smile, the reflection of which
was caught by the faces of the disciples. Girish
Ghosh,* Suresh Mittra.t Balaram, Latoo.J
Chunilall § and many other disciples were
present.
R4makrishna (to Girish) : You would better
argue the point with Narendra (Vivekinanda)
and see what he has to say.
Girish: Narendra eays: "God is Infinite.
* Girish Chunder Ghosh, the greatest Hindu poet, drama-
tist and actor of modem India. He is the fourtdei and
manager of many theatres in Calcutta. He is regarded as
the Garrick of India. He translated Shakespeare's Macbeth
into Bengali and played the part of the hero with wonderful
ability and originality. He is a genius and the roost devoted
householder disciple of Rimakrishna.
t See note p. 177.
t Latoo, the devoted servant of RAmakiishna. Althou^
he is illiterate he has reached the height of spiritual ecstasy
thTDUgh his whole-hearted service and devotion for his Divine
Master. He is now one of the Sannyftsin disciples of Rftma-
krishna.
J B&bu Chunilall Bose is a gentle householder disciple of
R&makrishna.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
We cannot even say that all that we hear or
see — be it an object or a person — is a part of
God. Infinity is one; how can it have parts?
It cannot be divided."
Rdmakrishna: God may be Infinite or even
greater than Infinite; but by His omnipotent
Divina will He can manifest His essence
iBc«iuth>n. through human form and incarnate
Himself among us. Indeed He does incarnate
Himself as a human being. How He incarnates
we cannot explain by words. One must feel it
■ and realize it. By analogy we can get only a
faint idea of it. For instance, if you have
touched the horn, leg or udder of a cow, have
you not touched the whole cowP But for us
human beings the milk is the most important
thing and that you can get only froin the udder,
not from any other part of the body. The In-
carnation of God is like the udder, through
which flows the milk of Divine Love. In order
to give mankind His essence of Divine Love
and Bhakti the Lord incarnates from time to
time in a human form.
Girish: Narendra says: "Is it possible to
fully comprehend God? He is Infinite."
Ramakrishna: That is true. Who can fully
comprehend God or even any of His attributes.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISJINA
great or small? Why is it necessary for us to
know all His attributes? It is enough if we can
see Him and realize Him. Moreover, he who
has seen His Divine Incarnation has seen God.
Suppose a man goes to the Ijanks of the holy
river Ganges and touches the water. He will
say ; " I have seen and touched the holy river."
It will not be necessary for him to touch the
whole river from its source to its mouth. If I
touch your feet, then I have touched you. If
you go to the ocean and touch the water, you
have touched the whole ocean. As fire is all-
pervading but is more manifest in burning
wood, so God, although He is all-pervading, is
more manifest in His Incarnation.
Girish (smiling) : I, for my part, am searching
after fire. I am eagerly looking for the place
where I shall find it.
R&makrishna (smiling): The element fire is
more manifest in the wood. If you seek the
SnkOod Divine element, you must seek it in
la Man. m^, for Divinity is more manifest
in a human being than elsewhere. Again, if
you see a man who is overflowing with Divine
Love, who is mad after God, who is intoxicated
by the wine of Divine Love, in that man you
must know, I assure you, that the Lord has
3S'
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
manifested Himself. It is true that God dwells
everywhere, but His Divine power (Sakti) is
more manifest in some places than in others. In
. the Avat^ra (God- Incarnate) the manifestation
of Sakti is very great. Sometimes the mani-
festation of this Divine power is complete and
perfect. In fact Avat^ra means the incarna-
tion of Sakti, the Divine Power.
Girish; Narendra says: "He is beyond the
reach of mind, words and senses."
R^makrishna: No, He is beyond the reach of
impure mind only, but not of the purified mind
(Manas). He cannot be apprehended by or-
dinary intellect, but purified intellect (Buddhi)
can comprehend Him. Mind and intellect be-
come purified when they are absolutely free
from attachment to lust and wealth (KSmini
and KSnchan). Then purified mind and puri-
fied intellect become one. Indeed God can be
realized by the purified mind. Is it not true
that the sages and saints have realized Him?
They realized the Supreme Spirit in the Self by
their true Self.
Girish (smiling) : Narendra has been defeated
by me in the discussion !
R4makrishna? Oh no! On the contrary he
says: "Girish has such firm faith in the Avatclra
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
in a human form that I feel that I should say
nothing against it."
The Bhagavto then expressed a desire to
listen to the chanting of hymns. Balarfim's
drawing-room was tilled with visitors. Every-
one watched the Bhagavfin, eager to hear what
fell from His lips and to mark what He would do
next. Tttrllpada was invited to sing, and sang
a song describing the sports of the Shepherd of
men, Sri Krishna.
Suresh Mittra, another disciple, was seated
at some distance from the Bhagavin. Sri
Rflmakrishna smiled on him affectionately and
pointing to Girish, said to him: Do you talk of
the wild life that you did live at one time?
Here is one very much more than your match.
■ Suresh (laughing): That is indeed true, Re-
vered Sir. He is my T)kdk (respected elder
brother) in this regard.
Girish (to the Bhagavan) : I never paid atten-
tion to my studies in my boyhood. How is it.
Revered Sir, that people insist on calling me
learned ?
Rimakrishna: Do you know what I think
about learning and the reading of the Scriptures?
Books and Sacred Scriptures - all point the
way to God. Once you know the way, what
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
is the use of books? Now the time comes for
Scriptun* devotional practices in solitude, A
and miin- person had received a letter in which
he was asked to send certain
articles to his kinsmen. He was about to order
the purchase of those things, when, looking for
the letter, he found it was missing. He searched
for a long time. His people also joined him in
his search. At last the letter was found and his
joy knew no bounds. With great eagerness he
took it up and went through its contents. But
after knowing what things were wanted, he
threw the letter aside and set forth to collect
the desired articles. How long does one care
for such a letter? So long as one does not know
its contents. The next step is to put forth
one's effort to procure the things. Similarly
the Sacred Books only tell us the means for the
realization of God. Having once known them,
you should struggle hard to acquire them and ,
reach the goal. What is the use of mere book-
learning? A pandit may know many sacred
texts and sciences, but if his mind is attached
to the world, if he enjoys the pleasures of the
senses, he has not realized the spirit of the
Scriptures; he has studied them in vain.
Rimakrishna then said to Girish: Narendra
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
is a young man of very high order. He is inter-
ested in everything, — singing, playing on mu-
sical instruments, on the one hand, and in the
study of the various branches of knowledge on
the other. He possesses the virtues of self-
mastery, rigl}t discrimination, dispassion and
many other qualities. (Aside to a disciple)
Just look at Girish's devotion to the Lord and
his faith in Him.
Naran,* to the Bhagavan: Revered Sir, shall
we not have the pleasure of hearing Thee sing?
Upon this the Bhagavin chanted the Name
of the Divine Mother of the universe.
Song
The Beloved Mother of the Uhiverse
I, my soul, do thou clasp to thy heart my
beloved Mother,
Let thee and me alone have the pleasure of
looking on Her ;
Let Her be seen by none else, by none else!
a. Desires— Oh, get out of their way, my soul;
let us enjoy Her presence alone.
Only let us have the tongue for our sole com-
panion to cry out to Her, saying, "Mother,
Mother ! "
* NftiAti was a, young householder disciple of RAmakrishoa.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
3. There are evil desiies, there are those which
point to. us the path leading to worldliness ;
Oh! Do not let them come near us!
Let the eye of wisdom that leads Godward
keep watch, and guard us from evil.
The Bhagav4n then sang another song in
which He placed Himself in the position of the
weary and heavy-laden men of the world, bend-
ing under the weight of their trials and suffer-
ings;
Song
The Mother and Her Weary Children
1. Mother! Thou art made of BHss Ever-
lasting, why then is it denied unto me?
2. My Soul. Good Mother, knows not any-
thing but the Lotus of Thy Hallowed Feet.
Why then does the Ruler of Death, the
King of Justice, find fault with me? Tell
me what answer to make to that dreaded
King.
3. It was my heart's wish, O Mother, to repeat
Thy Sacred Name and cross the ocean of
death. Not even in my dream had I the
least idea that I should be drowned by
Thee in the shoreless ocean.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKIU5HNA
4, Day and night, O Mother. Thou Consort
of Eternity, have I been repeating Thy
Sacred Name, which brings salvation unto
Thy weary children. But alas! my end-
less troubles will never leave me, I only^
regret that if I am not saved, no one else
will ever repeat Thy Name.
The Bhagav^n next sang about the joy of
the Divine Mother:
Song
The Great Mystery
With Shiva the Mother plays always, absorbed
in blissful joy.
Deep drunk She is, but falls not.
She dances on the breast of Her consort,
The world quakes under the weight of Her feet.
Both have reached the climax of madness;
Both are fearless and free.
The disciples listened to the songs in deep
silence. What struck them was the change
that had come over the Bhagavin. He was
beside Himself with the joy of the Lord — in-
toxicated with that unbounded Bliss. •
Twilight had fallen. The disciples would not
358
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
leave their seats. With heads upraised and
eager ears they listened to the sweet Name of
the Lord chanted by the Bhagav^n, sweeter as
repeated by Him than by any whom they had
ever heard before. Yes, they had never heard
another child calling out so sweetly to its
mother, saying, "Mother, Mother!" It seemed
as if drops of nectar fell from the lips of the
Bhagavan. The infinite sky, the heaven-kiss-
ing mountain, the deep blue ocean, the bound-
less expanse, the deep dense wilderness — what
was the use now of going to them in quest of
the Divine Father and Mother of the universe?
What was the use of fixing one's attention on
the "cow's horn" or her feet or any other part
of her body? The Master had spoken to-day of
the udder of the cow from which to draw the
milk of Divine Love. Was it indeed given to
those present to behold the vision of God-In-
carnate in that very room? What else could
have brought into the hearts of the disciples—
of those that were wearj- and heavy-laden —
the perfect peace and the joy that are of the
Lord ? What else could have made this vale of
tears overflow w-ith joy? Was it possible that
th*e Man before them was God-Incamate ?
Whether He was or not their minds and hearts
3S9
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
and souls were His own to deal with just as He
pleased! He was already to them the Pole-
star of this enigmatical life. It was for them
now to watch how in His great Soul the Su-
preme Being, the Cause of causes, was reflected.
Thus did some of the disciples think within
themselves. They felt that they were truly
blessed as they heard the Bhagavan chant the
Name of the Divine Mother and of Hari, the
Lord God who taketh away all trouble, all sin
and iniquity.
The chanting of the Names being over, the
Bhagavtln prayed to the Mother. It seemed as
if the God of Love had taken a human form in
order to teach man how to pray. He said:
Mother, I throw myself upon Thy mercy.
May the Lotus of Thy Feet ever keep me from
Pr«w to iiw whatever leadeth Thy children away
i«vi« Mother. from Thee! I seek not, good Mother,
the pleasures of the senses; I seek not fame.
Nor do I long for those Siddhis (Yoga powers)
which enable one to perform miracles. What I
pray for, O Good Mother, is pure love for Thee,
love untainted by desires, love without alloy,
love which seeketh not the things of this world,
love for Thee that welleth up Unbidden frohi
the depths of the immortal soul. Grant like-
360
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
wise, O Mother, that Thy child, bewitched by
the fascinations of Thy enchanting powers
(Maya) may not forget Thee; yes, forget Thee,
entangled in the charming net of Sams4ra that
Thou hast woven. 0, grant that he may never
be charmed into loving these! O Good Mother,
seest Thou not that Thy child hath none else in
the world but Thee? I know not how to chant
Thy Name out of deep devotion. Devoid am I
of knowledge that leadeth to Thee — devoid of
genuine love (Bhakti) for Thee! O, vouchsafe
unto me that love out of Thine Infinite Mercy!
This evening prayer — was it called for in the
case of this God-Man, for Him who chanted the
Name of the Lord day and night, for Him out
of whose hallowed mouth there flowed a never-
ceasing stream of prayers unto th^ Most High ?
Was it then that the Master observed these
forms in order to teach mankind how to Hve
and pray?
iii
Girish had invited Sri Ramakrishna to his
house. He must come that very night. The
Bhagavln said to him: Do you not think it
will be too late?
Girish: No, Revered Sir; Thou shalt come
away as early as Thou pleasest.
361
♦ u.„.....,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
It was about nine in the evening. Balar4m
had made his offerings ready for Sri R^ma-
krishna's supper. The gracious Bhagavftn
would not wound his feelings. He said to
Balaram: "Send over to Girish's house the
food that you have prepared for me." Saying
this, He set out, followed by His disciples. Go-
ing downstairs from the first floor. He became
like another being; He looked as if He was
lost in the thought of God — as if He had drunk
deep ! It seemed as if sense-consciousness was
beginning to leave Him. A disciple went for-
ward to hold Him by the hand, lest He should
miss His footing. The Bhagavftn said to him
with great tenderness: "If you hold me by the
hand, people will say, ' He is a drunkard.' Let
me walk alone without any help." He crossed
the next turning just a little way from Girish's ■
house. What made Him walk so fast? The
disciples were left behind. No one knew what
Divine idea had found its way into His heart.
What made Him walk like a madman.' Was it
because He was thinking of that Being who in
the Ved^ta is said to be beyond the reach of
word and thought ?
Here was Narendra comingl Many a day
had the Bhagavftn cried, calling "Narendra,
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAERISHNA
Narendra," like one gone mad. But now Naren-
KiMakrtoina'idra was there before Him and yet He
tt^—y- exchanged no word with him. Was
this what people called Bh^va (ecstasy), a
state into which Chaitanya is said to have
been constantly thrown? Who was there
to penetrate the mystery of this Divine
ecstasy ?
Srt R&makrishna had come to the end of the
lane leading to Girish's house. The disciples
were all following. He now spoke to Narendra,
saying: "Is it well with you, my child? I had
not the power then to talk to you." Every
word that fell from His hps was marked by
tenderness. He had not as yet come to the
door of the house, but all at once He stopped
short. He looked at Narendra and said: "This
is one of the two, — the human soul, and the
other is the cosmos." Was He indeed looking
at the soul and the world? If so, in what light?
He was gazing on Indescribable Brahman !
■ One or two words had dropped from His hal-
lowed lips, hke some solemn texts from in-
spired Scriptures. Or was it that He had gone
ttj the edge of the Infinite Ocean and stood
there speechless, looking on the Boundless Ex-
panse, and had heard one or two echoes re-
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
verberating from the never-ceasing voice that
comes up from the Eternal Deep?
Girish stood at the door of his house. He
had come to receive the Bhagavfln. Sri R^ma-
krishna came up with His disciples. At the
blessed sight Girish fell at His feet prostrate.
The sight was indeed a blessed one and the dis-
ciples looked on with awe and admiration.
Girish received on his head the dust of His
hallowed feet and rose at the Master's bidding.
He led the way to the drawing-room, where the
Bhagavan and His disciples took their seats.
They longed to drink the nectar of His words
which brought everlasting life.
He was about to take His seat when He found
a newspaper lying by His side. As newspapers
had to do with worldly-minded men, with
worldly matters, with gossip and scandal, they
were unholy objects in His eyes. He made a
sign and the paper was put away. Thereupon
He took His seat. Nityagop^l * bowed down
and saluted His feet.
* Nilyagap^l was a devoted Bhakta who reached a very
high stnle of spiritual erslasy (Bhiva). He was a young
man who lived like a Sannyftsin, although he did not join
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Bhagavin (to Nitya): Well! and why did
you not go there f
Nitya; Revered Sir, I was unable to go to
Dakshineswara. I was out of sorts. There
were pains all over my body.
Bhagav^: Are you keeping well now?
Nitya: Not very well, I am sorry to say.
BhagavSn; You would better remain one or
two notes below the highest in the scale.
Nitya; Company does not suit me. They
say all manner of things of me. That puts me
into a fright. - At times I am quite free from
fear and I feel the spirit within me.
Bhagav^n : That is only natural. Who is
your constant companion ?
■ Nitya; T^jak. At times he does not suit
the state of my mind.
Bhagavan : Nangta * (Tota. Puri) used to say
the order. Occasionally he used to come to Sr! Rflma-
krishna to pay his respects and regarded Him as the Incama-
tioo of Krishna.
• Nangta was the name by which Srt Rtmakrishna -called
his spiritual teacher in the Advaita Vedinta. The word
literally means, "One *ho does not cover his body with
any clothes." Tota Pud was 'his real name. He was a
SauDySsin monk of Sankara's school and was a great Vedflnia
scholar. He reached the higher state of Ntrvikalfa SamSdhi
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
that they had at their Math a Siddba who had
acquired some miraculous powers. He used to
go about with his eyes fixed on the sky, not
caring for his companion Ganesh Gorgy, yet
when he left him, he became disconsolate.
By this time a change had come over the
Bhagav&n. He remained speechless for a while.
Returning to consciousness, he said: "You have
come, have you? Well, I am here too." Who
was there to fathwn the mystery of these divine
words !
after practising tor forty years. He used to travel from placs
to place in India, never spending more than three days in one
spot. When he cflme to Dakshincswara he lived under the
trees at the Panchavati and wore no clolhes. After seeing
Rftmakrishna he deaiml to instruct Him in Advaita Vedftnta.
Rftmakiishna like a child replied: "I shall ask my Divine
Mother, and if She gives me Her permission I shall leam
of you." The sage Toll Puti was pleased wilh His answer.
He then stayed with RAmakrishna for eleven months, which
was quite unusual for him to do. He gave Him instrurtions
on the oneness of the Jiva with Brahman, and B'ithin thw
days RJinakriahna realized that supreme oneness by rcachini;
the Ntrvikalpa SamSdhi. Seeing this stale Totl Puri de-
clared in utter amazement: "How wonderful is the Divine
mysteryl Thou hast acquired in three days what 1 ac-
complished after forty years of hard struggle." Since then
he regarded Rimakrishna as his Spiritual Brother.
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Among the disciples who sat at the feet of
Rimakrishna, Narendra did not beHeve in the
Incarnation of God, while Girish had a burning
faith that God incarnated Himself from age to
age in this world of ours. The Bhagav^n wished
them to discuss the matter before Him.
Srt R^makrishna (to Girish) : I should like to
hear you both talk over the matter in English.
The discussion was commenced. It was,
however, carried on not in English but in Ben-
gali, with here and there an English word.
Narendra: God is Infinite; it is beyond our
power to conceive Him by means of our poor
intellect. God is in every human
being, but He is not manifest in one
parti ciilar individual.
The Bhagavin (affectionately) : I quite con-
cur. He is in every object, in every human
being; only there is a difference in the mani-
festation of Divine Energy in those objects.
The Divine Energy manifest in some objects
leads one away from God and is then called
Avidyi (ignorance). When it leads Godward
it is called VidyS. Again, th? manifested
367
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
energy is greater in some vessels and less ia
. others. Thus it is that all men are not
equal,
A disciple: What is the use of all this idle
talk?
Bhagav^: There is a great deal of use
in it.
Girish {to Narendra) : How do you know that
God does not take a human body, does not in-
carnate Himself?
Narendra: Oh! God is surely beyond the
reach of words and the finite mind!
R^makrishna: Quite so; beyond the finite
impure mind. But He can be realized by the
QodnaUBd Purified intellect (Buddhi), Purified
by purinwi intellect and purified soul are one
""'■ The holy sages (Rishis) realized the
pure universal Spirit by their purified intellect
and purified soul.
Girish (to Narendra) : If God does not incar-
nate Himself in a human form, who will ex-
plain these difficult problems? He assumes
human form to teach mankind Divine Wisdom
and Divine Love, Who else has the power to
teach in the same manner?
Narendra: Why, He will certainly teach me
w-thin the heart.
,,Googlc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Bhagav&n (affectionately): That is indeed
so. He will teach as internal Ruler of the
heart (Antary^min).
The discussion grew warm. It turned on
matters too high for ordinary comprehension:
Was Infinity indivisible? What did Hamilton
say as to the limit of human knowledge; and
Herbert Spencer, Tyndall and Huxley?
R&makrishna: I for my part do not like these
things. God is beyond the power of reasoning;
He is something more. I see that whatever is,
is God. What then is the necessity of reason-
ing about Him? I do actually see that what-
ever is, is God. It is He who has become all
these things. This is a stage at which the mind
and the intellect (Buddhi) are lost in the Ab-
solute and Indivisible Being. At the sight of
Narendra my mind becomes merged in the In-
divisible Absolute. What, pray, do you say to
this?
Girish (smiling): Surely, Revered Sir, we do
not pretend that we understand everything
except this.
RSmakrishna : Thereupon at the end of
Sam^dhi I must come down two notes at least
below the highest note in the scale before I can
utter a word. Ved^nta has been explained by
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Sankara.* Another point of view is that of
R4manuja,t who has put forward the doctrine
of qualified non-dualism,
Narendra (to the Bhagav^) : Sir, may I ask
what is meant by Vidsht&dvaitavada (quahfied
non-duahsm) ?
R&makrishna: There is a doctrine called
VisishtSdvaitavada, the view of R&mSnuja;
QuaUTwd non- that IS, the Absolute (Brahman)
duaUun. must Dot be considered apart from
the world and the soul. The three form one:
three in one and one in three. Let us take a
Bel-fruit. Let the shell, the seeds and the ker-
nel be kept separate. Now suppose some one
wished to know the weight of the fruit. Surely
• Sankara, see note p. 279.
t Ramaniija was the founder of the VfaishtSdvaila, or
Qualified Non-dualist!c School of Vedftnta. He was born about
1017 A.I). at Sri Farambattur, a lown near Madras in
Southern India. He is regarded by His followers as the
intamation oE Sesha or Ananta. He wrote Sanskrit Com-
mentaries on Ihe Upanishads, Vedftnta Sutras and the
Bhagaval Gitft, and preached His doctrines all over India.
He is said lo have lived for one hundred and twenty years
and died in 1137 a.d. His doctrines were distinct from the
Absolute Monistic philosophy of Sankarlch&rya. He has
now millions of followers among all classes of Hindus in
37*
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
it would not do to weigh the kernel alone. The
shell, the seeds and the kernel are all weighed
with a view to knowing the real weight of the
fruit. No doubt we reason at the outset that
the all -import ant thing is the kernel — not either
the shell or the seeds. In the next place, we go
on reasoning that the shell and the seeds belong
to the same substance to which the kernel be-
longs. At the first stage of the reasoning we
say, "Not this, not this." Thus the Absolute
(Brahman) is not the individual soul. Again,
it is not the phenomenal world. The Absolute
(Brahman) is the only Reality, al! else is unreal.
At the next stage we go a Uttle farther. We
see that the kernel belongs to the same sub-
stance as that to which the shell and the seeds
belong; hence the Substance from which we
derive our negative conception of the Absolute
Brahman is the identical Substance from which
we derive our negative conceptions of the finite
soul and^the phenomenal world. Our relative
phenomena (Li[k) must be traced to that eternal
Being which is also called the Absolute Hence,
says Ramanuja, the Absolute (Brahman) is
qualified by the finite soul and the phenomenal
world. This is the doctrine of the qualified non-
dualistic Ved4nta.
371
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
I see that Being as a Reality before my very
eyes! Why should I reason? I do actually see
that the Absolute has become all
■wikmini things about us. It appears as the
individual soul and the phenomenal
world. One must have an awaken-
ing of the spirit within to see the Reality. How
long must one reason and discriminate, saying.
"Not this, not this"? So long as one has not
realized the Absolute Reality. It is not in
mere words such as " I see that God has become
everything"; mere saying is not enough. By
the Lord's Grace the spirit must be quickened.
Spiritual awakening is followed by Samidhi.
In this state one forgets that one has a body ;
one loses all attachment to things of this world ;
one likes no other words than those relating to
God; one is sorely troubled if called upon to
listen to worldly matters. The spirit within
being awakened, the next step is the realization
of the Universal Spirit. It is the spirit that
can realize the Spirit.
After the discussion was over the BhagavAn
said: I have observed that discrimination
brings only intellectual apprehension of the Ab-
solute, which is far from true realization. The
latter can be acquired by meditation in solitude
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
(Dhyftna) ; but it is very different from realiza-
tion through His Grace. If He, out
of His Grace, makes us realize what
ud FMiiza- js God-Incamate and how He
manifests through a human form,
then it is no longer necessary to reason or ex-
plain. Do you know how it is? As in a dark
room someone rubs a match on the side of the
box and all at once a light is struck. So, if
the Lord is gracious enough to strike the light
for us, the darkness of ignorance will be dis-
pelled and all doubts will cease forever. Can
He be realized by such discussions?
The ■ Bhagavan then invited Narendra
to be seated by His side. He made many
loving inquiries about him and caressed
him.
Narendra: Why, Revered Sir, I have medi-
tated in solitude on the Divine Mother for three
and four days together, but nothing has come
of it.
Bhagav4n: All in time; do not be impatient.
Mother is no other than Brahman the Absolute.
Divine Mother is the primeval energy, when
that is without activity I call it Brahman. But
when it creates, preserves and destroys the
phenomenal world I call it Sakti (energy), or
...Google
GOSPEL or RAMAKRISHNA
Divine Mother. That which you call Brah-
man is the same as my Divine Mother. (To
Girish) It is getting late.
Girish: I am afraid I shall have to leave
Thee, Revered Sir, and go to my work, unfor-
tunate that I am !
BhagavAn: No, you must serve both parties.
Janaka served God unattached to the world
and thus looked to the interests of both this
world and the next ; he drank the cup of milk
but did not forget the soul.
Girish: I am thinking, Revered Sir, of giving
up my profession.
BhagavAn: No, no; you need not do any
such thing. It is all right as it is. You are
doing good to many.
Narendra (softly) : Just a moment ago he
was addressing Him as Lord, (Jod-Incamate,
yet he still has such strong attachment to his
professional work.
The Bhagav^n had Narendra seated by his
side. He fixed His eyes on him. He moved
down to sit closer to him. Narendra did not
believe that God incarnated Himself, but what
did that signify? His love for him was still as
great as ever. Touching his person the Bha-
gavan said to ham: Are your feelings wounded?
31*
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Never mind; we, too, are of the same mind
with you and feel for you.
Bhagav4n continued ; So long as one reasons
and argues about God, one has not realized Him.
DUpuiatiMu ^°" '^"''^ ^^^^ engaged in discussion.
prcvniirMii- I did not like it. How long does the
*" noise continue at a feast to which
many are bidden? So long as the guests have
not begun to eat. As soon as the viands, are
served and they begin to partake of them,
three-fourths of the noise is gone. Then the
more the sweetmeats are passed around, the
more the noise subsides. The nearer you come
to God, the less you are disposed to argue.
When you come up to Him, when you behold
Him as the Reality, then all noise, all disputa-
tions are at an end. Then is the time for the
enjoyment which comes in Sam&dki.
Saying this, the Bhagav^n gently moved His
hand over Narendra's sweet face and caressed
him, repeating, "Hari Om, Hari Om, Hari Om."
Then what a miracle passed before the eyes
of the disciples! Looking at the Bhagav^,
they saw His sense -consciousness beginning' to
leave Him. Looking again, they saw that it
had left Him altogether. In this half-conscious
state the hand of the Incarnation of Divine
375
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Love continued to rest on Narendra's body.
Was He breathing into him the inspiration, the
power that comes from above ? Then yet other
changes came over the Bhagavan. He said to
Narendra, with folded hands: A song do sing,
then I shall get well; how else shall I be able
to stand on my feet. "My Nitai! Oh! He is
deep dnmk, intoxicated with the wine of
Divine Love, the love for Gour4nga (God-
Incarnate)."
A short white and He was speechless again,
speechless like a figure cut in marble. Dnmk
with the joy of the Lord, the Bhagavin went
on, saying: "Take care of Radha, lest thou fall
into the Jamuna. thou, mad with ecstatic
love for Him who incarnated Himself at Brin-
dSvan, the Lord Sri Krishna!" Once more He
was in deep Samdhdi! Coining back into sense-
consciousness he repeated portions of a well-
known song: "0 my friend, how far is that
blessed woodland, the land where is to be seen
my own Beloved One? Look! Here comes
the fragrance from the blessed person of my
Beloved! I am unable to take a step forward,
my friend!"
Now the Bhagav&n had lost all consciousness
of the world. He was not mindful of anything
376
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
or any person in this state Narendra was
seated before Him, but apparently He did not
see him. He had lost all sense of time and
place. The mind, the heart and the soul had
all become absorbed in God. Suddenly He
stood up, saj^ng: "Deep drunk with the wine
of Divine Love, with love for Gour (God-Incar-
nate)." A few moments after He took His
seat and said: "Yonder is a light coming this
way, but I cannot even now say from which
way the light comes." It was then that Naren-
dra began to sing:
GOD-VlSlON
I. Lord! Thou hast blessed me with Thy
vision and Thou hast driven all my troubles
away.
A charm Thou hast thrown over my soul.
a. Beholding Thee as the Reality, the seven
worlds have fot^otten their grief!
Not to speak of my poor self, so worthy of
Thy pity and Thy loving-kindness!
Listening to the song the Bhagav^n had once
more lost all consciousness of the outer world.
His eyes were closed. His body and limbs
moved not He was in deep Sam&dhi. When ■
u.,M,».,,,Googlc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the SamSdki was over he asked: "Who will
take me home to the temple ? " A child looking
for a companion! Left alone, he saw nothing
but darkness about. It was getting late and it
was the night of the tenth day of the dark fort-
night. Sri R^makrishna wished to go back to
the Temple at Dakshineswara. He seated Him-
self in the carriage which was to take Him there.
The disciples stood on either side of the carriage
to see Him off. Even now was He deep drunk
with the joy of the Lord! The carriage rolled
away. The disciples looked after it for a few
moments, then dispersed each to his own home.
378
U.g.V6c.y Google
CHAPTER XIII
A DAY AT SHAmPUKUR
Sri Ramakrishna was living at Shampukur
at the request of His householder disciples, who
had hired a house for fiim there.
It was about half-past five in the afternoon
of a day in October. Vivekananda, BrahmS-
nanda, Rimakrishn^nanda, Sarad&nanda, Abhe-
d^nanda and other disciples were with Sr!
Ramakrishna. The great national festival Dur-
gapuja had been celebrated only a few days
back, but it was difficult for the disciples to
take part in the festivities with their whole
heart. How could they rejoice when their
Master was suffering from a serious malady?
Their one thought was to serve Him, to nurse
Him. to attend to His smallest wants day and
night. This devpted and unparalleled service
of the Master led the way for the younger dis-
ciples (Vivek&nanda and others) to the great
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
renunciation of the world of which Bhagav^n
Sri Ram^krishna was the ideal example.
Through their intense love for the Master they
left their homes and sacrificed the duties and
pleasures of life that they might give their whole
soul to His service.
Notwithstanding His illness, hundreds of
people came every day to pay reverential
homage to Him. They were eager to receive
His blessing and to sit in His presence if only
for a few minutes; fot His presence brought
peace and celestial happiness in the hearts and
souls of all. Who had ever seen such un-
bounded compassion? He was anxious for the
welfare of all those who came to Him and was
ever ready to help them by removing their
doubts and opening their spiritual eyes. This
was the time when Bhagav^n Sri R?.inakrishna
showed to the world that He was not a man of
this earth, but an embodiment of Infinite Love
Divine.
His charm and fascination were so great that '
everyone who came into His presence would
lose the consciousness of time and place. Even
men like Dr. Sircar,* who was the busiest phy-
* Dr. Mehenilra l«l Siirar was the best Hindu pbysician
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
sician in Calcutta and who usually spent a few
moments only with each patient, would remain
with the Bhagavan hours together and some-
times the whole day. He had just now been
paying Sri Ramakrishna a long visit. Rising
to go, he said to the Bhagav^n, who was con-
versing with Syfim B^bu:* "Now that you
have SySm B4bu to talk to, I will bid you
good-bye."
Sri R^makrishna: Would you 'not like to
hear some songs ?
Doctor: I should like it very much; but your
feelings will be too much worked upon and you
will go off into a state of ecstasy.
The doctor took his seat once more, and
Vivek^nanda sang to the accompaniment of
instruments :
in Calcutta at that time. He was a great authority in medical
science and his opinion carried weight among the Eumpean
[Ajsicians of highest repute. He was also the founder of
the Science Association in Calcutta, wheie he occasioaally
delivered scientific lectures on Physics and Chemistry.
* Sy&m BAbu was a rich Hindu of Calcutta and an intimate
friend of Dr. Sinat
am
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GOSPEL OP RAMAKRISHNA
God and His Works
I. Wonderful, infinite, is the universe made by
Thee! Behold it is the repository of all
beauty,
a. Thousands of stars do shine — a necklace of
gold studded with gems. Innumerable
are the moons and suns.
3. The earth is adorned with wealth and corn:
full indeed is Thy storehouse. O Great
Lord! Innumerable are the stars which
sing, "Well done, Lord! well done!"
They sing without ceasing.
Kali, the Mother of the Universe
1 . In the midst of the dense darkness, O Mother,
breaketh forth the light of Thy formless
beauty.
For this the Yogi meditateth in the moun-
tain cave.
2. In the lap of darkness infinite and borne on
the sea of great Nirv&na,
The fragrance of peace everlasting floweth
without ceasing.
3. O Mother! who art Thou, seated alone within
the Temple of S&madhi, assuming the form
of the Great Consort of the Lord of Eter-
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
nity, and wearing the apparel of dark-
The lotus of Thy feet keepeth us from fear;
in them doth flash the lightning of Thy
love for Thy children;
And loud laughter adometh Thy spiritual face.
Doctor (to Vivekananda) : It is dangerous
for- Him — this sinj^ng. It will work upon His
feelings with serious results.
Srt Ramakrishna (to Vivekananda): What
does the doctor say?
Vivekananda: Sir, the doctor is afraid lest
this singing bring on ecstasy {Bk&va-Sam&dhi).
SrJ RSmakrishna {to the doctor, with folded
hands): No, oh no; why should my feelings be
worked upon? I am very well.
But as soon as these words were uttered, the
Bhagavan, who was already losing sense-con-
sciousness, went into deep Sam&dhi, His body
became motionless. The eyes moved not. He
sat speechless like a veritable figure of wood or
stone. All sense-consciousness had ceased to
be. The mind, the principle of personal iden-
tity, the heart, had all stepped out o£ their
wonted course towards that One Object, the
■ Mother of the Universe.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Again did VivekSnanda pour forth with his
sweet, charming voice melody after melody.
He sang:
The Lord, My Husband
1. How glorious is the beauty! How charming
is the face! The Lord of my heart hath
come to my (humble) abode.
2. Lo! the spring of my love is running over
(with joy) !
3. O Lord of my soul! Thou who art pure love,
what riches can I offer to Thee? 0, accept
my heart, my life, my all. Yes, Lord, my
all deign to accept !
Nothing Good or Beautiful Without the
Lord
t. What comfort can there be in life, gracious
Lord!
If the bee of soul doth not always linger on
Thy lotus-feet !
a. What use can there be in countless wealth,
If Thou, the most precious gem, art not kept
with care!
3. The tender face of the child I will not look
upon,
If in that face, lovely as the moon, I see not
Thv loving face!
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
4. How beautiful the moonlight! Yet I see
darkness alone, if at moonrise the moon of
Thy love doth not also rise in my soul.
5. Even the pure love of the chaste wife will
seem impure, if the gold of her love be not
set with the gem of Thy love Divine.
6. Lord, like the sting of a poisonous snake is
doubt of Thee, the offspring of ignorance.
7. Lord, what more shall I say to Thee!
Thou art the priceless Jewel of tny heart, the
Abode of joy everlasting!
Vivekananda sang again :
The Ecstatic Love op God
When shall Love Divine enter my heart!
Having all desires fulfilled, when shall I chant
the Name of the Lord (Hari) while streams of
love-tears flow from my eyes!
When shall my heart and soul be pure! 0,when
shall I go to the Vrindavan of love! When
will the fetters of the world drop off, and the
darkness of my eyes be dispelled by the
collyrium of wisdom !
When shall the iron of my body be changed
into gold by Thy touch Divine!
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
When shall I see the world pervaded by God
alone, and prostrate myselt in the path of
Love Divine!
When shall my religious works and daily duties
be a thing of the past' When shall my sense
of caste and family be gone! -
0, when shall I rise above fear, anxiety and
shame !
When shall I be free from pride and social
customs!
■ With the dust of the feet of true Bhaktas rubbed
over my body;
With the script of renunciation placed on my
shoulders, when shall I drink in both hands
the water from the river of Love Divine!
Srt RSmakrishna had a special liking for this
hymn from the Hindustani of Zaffir, the Sufi
poet:
Hymn
Thou art the refuge and joy of my heart.
All that is Thou art, all in all Thou art;
Only in Thee have I found my Beloved,
All that is Thou art, ail in all Thou art.
Thou art the dwelling of all Thy creatures.
Where Thou abidest not can there be one heart,
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
In each heart surely Thy Presence has entered;
All that is Thou art, all in all Thou art.
Either in men or angels triumphant, either in
Hindu or Mussulman Thou art !
Thy holy will has made everything like Thee;
All that is Thou art, all in all Thou art.
Whether Mohammedan temples or Hindu,
Perfectly pure has Thy touch made each part.
All heads before Thee have bowed in devotion;
All that is Thou art, all in all Thou art.
From the high heavens to earth spread before us,
From the vast earth to the heavens Thou art,
■ Wherever I look to my sight Thou appearest ;
All that is Thou art, all in all Thou art.
Thinking and pondering I have seen clearly,
Searching I have found not another as Thou
art;
Now in the mind of the poet has come that.
All that is Thou art, all in all Thou art.
In the midst of the songs Srt R4makrishna had
come to Himself again. The music was hushed.
Then followed conversation with the Bhagavin,
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISUNA
which was always charming alike to the teamed
and the illiterate, to the old and the young, to
men and women, to the great and the lowly.
The whole company sat mute and looked in
silence on His Divine face. Was there any
trace now of that serious illness from which He
was suffering? Joy alone was there, and
radiance of celestial glory. TiuTiing to the
doctor, Sri RSmakrisbna began:
Do give up shyness, doctor. One should not
be shy in repeating before others the Name of
,^^ the Lord, or in dancing with joy
obitaciu In while chanting His sweet name. Do
!^I«r "* ^^^ ^^'^ what people may say.
There is a proverb: "Three obstacles
lie in the way of perfection,- — shyness, contempt
and fear." The shy man thinks: "I, who am
so important, how can I dance in the name of
the Lord? What will other great people say if
they hear of it?" They may say: "What a
shame! The poor doctor has lost his head!
He has danced while chanting the Name
of the Lord!" (Hve up all such foolish
ideas.
Doctor: That is not my line at all. I do not
care what people say.
Sri Ramakrishna (smiling) : On the contrary.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAUAKiUSHNA
you do care very much. Go beyond knowledge
1>Dckiiowt- ^^^ ignorance, then you will reahze
God. Knowledge of diversity is ig-
norance. The egotism bred of erudi-
tion proceeds from ignorance. That Imowledge
by which we know that God exists everywhere
is true knowledge. But to know Him inti-
mately is realization (Vijn4na).
Suppose your foot is pierced with a thorn,
you reqiure a second thorn to take it out.
When the first thorn is taken out
you throw bofh away. So in order
to get rid of the thorn of ignorance you must
bring the thorn of knowledge. Then you must
throw away both ignorance and knowledge to
attain to the complete realization of God, the
Absolute, for the Absolute is above and beyond
knowledge as well as ignorance. Lakshman
once said to his Divine Brother: "O Rama, is
it not strange that a God-knowing man like
Vashishta Deva should have wept for the loss
of his sons and woidd not be comforted?"
Thereupon R&ma rephed: "He who has knowl-
Knowiedt* edge has also some ignorance. He
{>i«utiv*. ^i^Q l^J^g knowledge of one object
has also the knowledge of many objects. He
who has the knowledge of light has also the
389
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GOSPEL OF'RAMAKRISHNA
knowledge'of darkness, but Brahman the Abso-
lute is beyond knowledge and ignorance and
above virtue and vice, merit and demerit, purity
and impurity."
Sya,m BSbu r Sir, may I ask what remains after
both thorns are thrown away?
Sri Ramakrishna; What remains is the Abso-
lute, called in the Vedas Nityasuddha-bodKa-
TbeAbsduiB Tupam (the Unchangeable, the abso-
BrahnuB. lutely pure source of all knowledge).
But how shall I explain it to you? Suppose
some one asks you what is the taste of Ghee
(clarified butter) like? Is it possible to define
it ? The utmost that you can say is that it is pre-
cisely like the taste of Ghee. A young girl once
asked a friend: "Your husband is come: tell me
what sort of joy you feel when you meet him?"
Thereupon the married friend replied: "My
dear, you will know everything when you have
got a husband of your own; how can I explain
it to you?"
In the PurSnas we are told that the Mother
of the Universe incarnated Herself as the
daughter of the presiding god of the Himalayas.
Just after she was bom, the king of the moun-
tains was blessed with a vision of the various
manifestations of the Omnipotent Mother,
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Then he said: "O Mother! Let me see Brahman
about whom there is so much in the Vedas "
The child Incarnate thereupon said: "O father
if thou wishest to see the Absolute Brahman
thou must associate with the holy sages who
have renounced everything. What the Abso-
lute Brahman is cannot be expressed in words."
The Tantra has well said; "All things with the
sole exception of God the Absolute, have be-
come defiled like leavings of food." The idea
is that the Sacred Scriptures of the world having
been read and recited with the aid of the tongue
have got defiled like food thrown out of the
mouth. The Absolute Brahman, however, no
one has ever been able to describe by word of
mouth. Therefore it is said that the Absolute
is not defiled by the mouth. Again, who can
express in words the blissful joy that one ex-
periences in the company of the Lord and in
communion with the Absolute Sat-Ckit~Ananda.
He alone knows who has been blessed with such
realization.
Addressing the doctor, Srt Rftmakrishna con-
tinued: True knowledge does not come until
egotism is entirely gone.
"When shall I be free.'" When "I" shall
cease to be. The sense of "I" and "mine" is
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
ignorance. The sense of "Thou" and "Thine"
EfotiHii »ai 'S knowledge. A true Bhakta says :
knowkdic. ' ■ Lord ! Thou art the doer,
Thou hast created everything, I am nothing
but an instrument in Thy hands. I do only
prayer Ola whatever Thou makest me do. All
tn» Bhakta. this is Thy wealth. Thy glory. Thine
is the Universe, Thine the family. Thine the
relatives. Nothing belongs to me, I am Thy
servant. Thine is to command and mine is to
serve Thee with my whole heart and soul."
Egotism comes to alt those who have studied
a few books and have acquired a little learning.
I had a talk with Tagore * about the
E(oti»- nature of God. He said to me: "I
know all about it." I replied: "He who has
been to Delhi does not go about telling others
'I have been to Delhi' and so on. He who is a
true gentleman does not boast of being a _
gentleman."
Syam Babu: Sir, Tagore has great respect foi
you.
Sri Ramakrishna: My dear sir, shall I tell you
of the vanity of the sweeper-woman in the tem-
ple at Dakshineswara? She had a few oma-
* Devendia Nith Tagore. See note p. aii
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAltACSISEINA
ments on her person and she was so vain that
whenever she walked along the road,
if she found anyone near she would
shout: "Get out of my way! Get out of my
way!" What shall I say about the vanity of
wealthy people of higher castes!
A devotee: If God is the one Actor in the
Universe, then whence come good and evil,
virtue and vice? Do they exist by His
will?
Srt R&makrishna : In this world of relativity,
good and evil, virtue and vice, exist, but they
j^Lo^ do not touch the Lord. God is un-
natoucfe^ by attached to them — like the wind
■oodudcviu ^j^j^.jj jg unaffected by the good or
bad odor which it carries. His creation is of
dual nature, consisting of good and evil, real
and unreal. As among trees there are some
which bear good fruits, others poisonous, so
among human beings there are good men and
wicked, sinful men. Wicked people have their
place in the world. Do you not see that wicked
people are necessary to govern the law-breakers
and evil-doers of a community?
Syam B4bu: Sir, we are told on the one hand
that man is punished for his sins, and on the
other that God is the sole Actor, all creatures
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
being humble instruments in His hands. How
shall we reconcile these two things?
Srt R&makrishna: You talk like a gold-mer-
chant weighing things with his delicate balance.
Vivek^anda : What the Bhagav4n means to
Cakoiitiai say is that you are talking like one
lateiiect ^[jq [jag g. calculating intellect.
Srt R4makrishna : I say, O Podo, eat these man-
goes! What is the use of counting how many
mango-trees there are in the garden, how many
thousands of branches, how ftiany millions of
leaves, and so on ? You are here to eat the man-
goes. Eat them and go away. (To SySm B4bu)
You have come into this world to realize God
by means of religious works. Your first effort
should be to acquire love (Bhakti) for the lotus
feet of the Almighty. Why do you trouble
yourself with other things? What will j^u
gain by discussing philosophy? Do you not
see that four ounces of wine are quite enough
to intoxicate you? Why do you then inqiure
how many barrels of wine there are in the wine-
shop? Of what use is such vain calcula-
tion?
Doctor: God's wine, again, is beyond all
measure. The supply can never be exhausted,
Srt RSmakrishna (to Syam Babu): Further-
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
more, why do you not execute a power of attor-
Uyarm ney in favor of the Lord? Let all
ooOod. your cares and responsibilities rest
on Him. If any one trusts an honest man, will
that riian do any wrong? God alone knows
whether He will punish sinful acts or not.
Doctor: He alone knows what is in His mind.
How can man surmise it? He is bejrond all
human calculation.
Srt Ramakrishna (to Sy&m Babu) : You peo-
ple of Calcutta always find fault with Divine
Justice. You often complain that God is par-
tial because he makes one happy and another
unhappy. You foolish people see in God the
same nature as your own. Hem used to come
to Dakshineswara with his friends. Whenever
he saw me he would say: "Sir, there is only one
thing worth having in this world and that is
honor, is it not so?" Very few understand
that the end of human life is to attain God.
Sy^m Babu: Sir, is it possible for anyone to
show the subtle body? Can anyone
show that the subtle body goes out
of the gross body?
Sri Ramakrishna : Those who are true Bhak-
tas will not care to show you all this. They do
not care in the least whether fools will respect
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKKISBNA
them or not. They do not seek the favor of
rich people.
Sy^m B&im: Welt, Sir, what is the difference
between the gross body and the subtle body?
Srt Rflmakrishna : This physical body made
of gross elements is called the gross body. Ma-
nas (mind), the Buddhi (intellect), Akamkdra
(egoism) and Ckitta, all these are in the subtle
body. The inner body which feels the joy of
the Lord and Divine ecstasy is called Kdrana
Sarira (causal body). The Tantras call it
Bh&gavai-Tanu, or the body derived from the
Divine Mother, Beyond these is the Mah&-
k&rana, the first Great Cause. It is the fourth
state. It cannot be expressed by words.
What is the use of hearing all this? Practise
and you will know. You repeat the words
Thtianof^ "SiddA*. S«Wftt " (hemp-leaves).. Will
uocaof that make you drunk? No, youmust
prscuc*. Burallow some. There are threads of
various numbers, No. 40, No. 41, and so on;
but you do not know one nimiber from another
unless you are in the trade. It is by no means
hard for those in the trade to know a particular
number from that of another number. That
being so, I say, practise a little. That done, it
will be easy for you to have correct ideas as to
u.„.... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the gross body, the subtle body, the Kilrana
(the causal body made of joy) and the Mah&-
k4rana' (the Great Cause or the Unconditioned).
When you pray, ask for Bhakti, devotion to
His Lotus Feet. After Ahalya* was made free
from the curse called down upon her by her
husband, R^Lma Chandra said: "Ask for a boon
from me." Ahaly^ replied: "O R4ma, if Thou
■wilt give me a boon, do Thou grant that my
mind may ever be on Thy feet beautiful like
the lotus. O, I may be bom amoug swine, but
that will not matter."
For my part, I pray for love (Bhakti) alone
to my' Divine Mother. Putting flowers upon
pray«rtor Her Lotus Feet, with folded hands I
BbaidL prayed: "Mother, here is ignorance,
here is knowledge. Oh! Take them; I want
them not. Grant that I may have pure love
alone. Here is cleanliness (of the mind and
body), here is uncleanliness ; what shall I do
with them? Let me have pure love alone.
* AIialy&, wife of the great logician, the sage Goutama.
She nas a devoted wife, but the villaioy of her seducer, who
peisonated her husband, made her unchaste. Hence the
cuise, the effect of which was, it is said, that she was turned
into stone. The touch of Rima Chandra made her human
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Oh! Here is sin, here is merit: I want neither
the one nor the other. Let me have pure love
alone. Here is good, here is evil. Ob! Take
them; I want them not. Let me have pure
love alone. Here are good works, here are bad
works. Oh! Place me above them; I want
them not. Grant that I may have pure love
alone."
If you take the fruit of good works, like char-
ity, you must take the fruit of bad works also.
Diui If you take the fruit of merit, you
"'^'*" must take the fruit of sin also.
Knowledge of the One (Jn&na) implies knowl-
edge of the many (AjnAna). Taking cleanli-
ness, you cannot get rid of its opposite, unclean-
liness. Thus a knowledge of light implies a
knowledge of darkness, its opposite. A knowl-
edge of unity implies a knowledge of diver-
sity.
Blessed is the man who loves God! What
matters it if he eats the flesh of swine? On the
Animal load Other hand, if a man lives upon vege-
■nd vc(s(a- tables but is attached to the world
*"■ and does not love God, what good
shall he gain ?
(To SyAm Babu) To live the life of a house-
bolder is by no means wrong. But take care
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
that you work without attachment, with your
Work with mind always pointing to the Feet
tbeniiBdfUed of the Lord. Suppose a person has
OD omi. ^ carbuncle on the back. Now this
man talks as usual. Perhaps he attends to his
daily work. But pain constantly puts him in
mind of the carbuncle. In the same way, al-
though you are in the world, you should turn
your mind constantly to God. A woman
carrying on an intrigue with a lover thinks of
this lover all the time that she is attending to
her household duties. Live in the world like
such a woman, doing your many duties with
your soul secretly yearning for the Lord.
py ftrn Babu: Sir, what do you think of
Theosophy?
''*'™*'"'* Sri Ramakrishna: The long and
the short of the matter is that people who
make disciples belong to an inferior order
of men. Again, those who seek for powers
also belong to an inferior class, such powers,
for example, as the power of getting across the
Ganges or the power of reporting here what a
person is talking about in a far country, and
other psychic powers. It is by no means easy
for such people to get pure Bhakti (love) for
the Lord.
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GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
SySm Bkbn: But, Sir, the Theosophists seek
to put Hinduism once more on a firm basis.
Srt Ramakrishna: That may be. I am not
well posted as to their views or doings.
Syim BAbu : Questions like the following are
dealt with in Theosophy. What region is the
soul bound for after death — the lunar sphere or
the stellar mansions?
Sri R&makrishna: I dare say. But let me
give you an idea of my way of thinking. Some-
body put it to Hanumin, the great lover of God,
"What day of the lunar fortnight is it?" Ha-
num&n replied: "My dear sir, excuse me. I
know nothing about the days of the week, the
day of the lunar fortnight, or the stars telEng
of the destiny on a particular day. That is not
my concern. I meditate on RAma and on
Rfkma alone."
Sy4m B^bu : Sir, the Theosophists believe in
Mahatmfts, May I ask whether you hold that
M^hatmis are real beings?
Srt Rimakrishna: If you care to take my
word for truth, I say "Yes." But will you be
good enough to let these matters alone? Come
when I am better. Do but put faith in my
words and I shall see that you find peace. Do
you not observe that I do not take either money
u.y..e-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
or clothes or any other thiag? In some theatri-
cal representations well-to-dp visitors are ex-
pected to encourage the actors by gifts of money
during the performance. Here people are not
called upon to make such gifts. This is why so
many come here,
(To the Doctor) What I have to say to you
is this — ^but do not take offence! You have
had enough of the things of the ■world, money,
fame, lectures, and so on. Now give your
mind a little to God, and come here now and
then. It is good to listen to words relating to
God. Such words enhghten the soul and turn
it to the Lord.
A short while after the Doctor stood up to
say good-bye. But just then Girish came in, and
the Doctor was so glad to see him that he took
his seat again. Girish, stepping forward, sa-
luted the Bhagavto and kissed the dust of His
hallowed feet. The Doctor watched all this in
silence.
Doctor: So long as I was here, Girish B&bu
was not good enough to come. He must come
just as I am about to go.
There was then a talk about the Science As-
sociation and the lectures delivered there,
Girish took an interest in these lectures.
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Sri RSmakrishna (to the Doctor) : Will you
take me some day to the Association ?
Doctor: My dear Sir, once you are there, you
would lose all sense-consciousness at the sight
of the glorioiis and wonderful works of God, of
the intelligence shown in these works and the
adaptation of the means to the end.
Sri RSjnakrishna: Oh indeed!
Doctor (to Girish) : Do everything else, but
wonhipoi pr^y <i*^ ^'^*- worship Him as God.
the ■piriinai By doing SO, you are only bringing
"*"'*"' ruin on such a holy man.
Girish; Sir, there is, I fear, no help for it.
He who has enabled me to get across this ter-
rible sea of the world and the no less terrible
sea of scepticism — how else shall I serve such
a person? There is nothing in Him I cannot
worship.
Doctor: I myself hold that all men are equal.
As to this holy man, do you think I cannot
salute and kiss the dust of His feet? Look '
here! (The Doctor saluted and kissed the dust
of the Bhagav^n's feet.)
Girish: Oh, sir, the angels in heaven are
saying: "Blessed, blessed be this auspicious
moment!"
Doctor: You seem to think that saluting
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
anyone's feet is something like a marvel! You
do not see that I can do the same in the case of
everybody. {To a gentleman seated near)
Now, sir, oblige me by allowing me to salute
your feet. (To another) And you, sir. (To
a third) And you, sir, (The Doctor saluted
the feet of many.)
Vivekflnanda (to the Doctor): Sir, we look
upon the Bhagav^ as a person who is like God.
Let me make my idea clear to you. There is a
point somewhere between the v^etable crea-
tion and the animal creation where it is difficult
to say whether a particular thing is a vegetable
or an animal. Much in the same way there is
a point somewhere between the man-world and
the God-world where you cannot say with
certainty whether a person is a hiunan being or
God.
Doctor: Well, my friend, matters relating to
God cannot be explained by analogy.
Vivekananda; I say, not (jod, but Godlike
man.
Doctor : You should not give vent to feelings
of reverence Uke that. Speaking for myself, no
one has been able, I am sorry to say, to judge
my inward feelings. My best friends often re-
gard me as stem and cruel. Even you, my
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRlSHNA
good friends, may beat me some day with shoes
and turn me out.
Sri RAmakrishna (to the Doctor) : Do not say
that. Doctor. These people love you so much I
They watch and look for you like ladies come
together in the bride-chamber looking for the
coming bridegroom.
Girish: Everyone here has the greatest re-
spect for you.
Doctor (sorrowfully): My son — even my
wife looks upon me as hard-hearted, and for
the simple reason that I am by nature loath to
show my feelings.
Girish; In that case, sir, do you not think it
would be better to throw open the door of your
mind, at least out of pity for your friends?
You well see that your friends do not under-
stand you.
Doctor: Shall I say it? Well, my feelings
are worked up even more than yours, {To
Vivek^nanda) I shed tears in solitude.
Doctor (to Sri Rimakrishna): Sir, may I
say that it is not good that you allow people to
touch your feet with their body while you are
in SamMkit
Sri R&makrishna: You do not mean that t am
conscious of this?
U.g.V6c.y Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Doctor: You feel that it is not a right thing
to do, do you not?
Sri R&makrishna; What shall I say as re-
gards the state ol my' mind during Sam&dhi}
After the Sam^dhi is over I often go so far as
to ask myself: May not this be the cause of the
disease that I have got? The thing is, the
thought of God makes me mad. All this is the
result of Divine madness. There is no help for
it.
Doctor (to the disciples): He expresses re-
gret for what he does. He feels that the act is
wrong.
Sri RfLmakrishna (to Girish) : You have great
penetration. You explain it all to him, will you
not?
Girish {to the Doctor) : Sir, you are quite mis-
taken. He is by no means sorry that His feet
touch the persons of the devotees. No, it is
not that. His body is pure, sinless; it is purity
itself. He is good enough, in His anxiety for
their spiritual welfare, to allow His Hallowed
Feet to touch the bodies of the devotees. As a
result of His taking their sins upon Himself,
His own body. He thinks, may be suffering
from disease. Think of your own case. You
were once taken ill, so you have told us, as the
...Google
COSPEt OF RAUAK&ISHNA
result of hard study. Well, did you not at that
time express regret that you had sat up reading
until very late at night? Does that prove that
reading until . the late hours of the night
is bad ? The Bh^av&n may be sorry from
the point of view of the patient; He is by
no means sorry from the point of view of
a Teacher from God anxious for the welfare
of humanity.
Doctor (somewhat disconcerted): I confess I
am beaten. Now give me the dust of your
feet. (To Vivekananda) This matter apart,
I must admit the acuteness of Girish's intel-
lectual powers.
Vivekananda (to the Doctor) : You may view
the question in another way. You sometimes
devote your life to the task of making a scien-
tific discovery, and then you do not look to
your body, your health or anything. Now, the
knowledge of God is the grandest of all sciences ;
is it not natural that the Bhagavftn has risked
His health for this end, and, tt may be, sacri-
ficed it? We offer to Him worship equal to
Divine worship.
The doctor then saluted the Bhagavftn and
took his leave. At that moment Bijoy entered
and prostrated himself at the feet of Srt RAma-
u.,M,»..., Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
krishna. He had been making pilgrimages to
various holy places, and Mahima said to him:
Sir, you have just returned from a pilgrimage;
you have seen many things, kindly tell us about
them.
Bijoy: What shall I say? I see now that
here I find everything. To go on pilgrimages
pocrinuca is useless travelling. There are some
■"""■ places where you will find one-
sixteenth, or at the utmost one-fourth, of what
you see here. In the Bhagav^n I find every-
thing in full complement, I have not found
anyone who possesses anything more than our
RAmakrishna (to Vivek^nanda) : Look what
a wonderful change has taken place in Bijoy.
His character has become entirely different, as
if the milk has been boiled and thickened. By
seeing the neck and forehead I can recognize
the state of Paramahamsa.
Mahima (to Bijoy) : Sir, you take very little
food, do you not?
Bijoy: Yes, I believe I do. (To RAma-
krishna) Revered Sir, hearing of Thy illness I
have come to see Thee.
Ramakrishna: What?
Bijoy kept silent for a while and then said.
407
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
No one can understand Thy perfection unless
Thou givest the power.
R&makrishna : Kedflr said to me that when
he went to other places he starved, but that
here he always found food in abundance.
Bijoy (clasping his hands before RSma-
krishana): Lord, I know Thee now. I under-
stand Thy glory. Thou needest not tell me of it.
Thereupon R&makrishna went into Samadhi.
When He returned, He said: "If that be so,
let it be so."
Bijoy: Yes, Lord, now I know Thee.
Saying this, Bijoy prostrated himself before
Rimakrishna and pressed to his breast the
Hallowed Feet of the Lord. Bhagav4n Sri
RfUnakrishna, again losing all sense -conscious ■
dess, entered into God-consciousness and re-
mained motionless like a carven image. Seeing
this wonderful sight, some of the devotees shed
tears of joy and happiness while others kneeled
and began to pray to the Bhagavan. Each one
fixed his eyes upon Sri RAmakrishna and, ac-
cording to the innermost feeling of his heart,
realized his Ideal in Him. Some saw in Him
the Ideal Devotee, while others recognized the
Divine Incarnation in a human form. Mahima,
with tears of joy in his eyes, chanted: "Behold.
408
u....... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
behold, the embodiment of Divine Love!" And
after a few minutes, as if catching a glimpse of
the Absolute Brahman in Ramakrishna, he
exclaimed; "Infinite Existence, Intelligence
and Love, beyond Unity and Diversity!"
After remaining in this state for a long time,
Bhagavan RfUnakrishna came down once more
on the human plane and said: God
incarnates Himself m a human form.
It is true that He dwells everywhere, in all living
creatures, but the desires of the human solil
cannot be fulfilled except by an Avatdra or
Divine Incarnation. The human being longs
to see Him, touch Him, be with Him and enjoy
His Divine company. In order to fulfill such
desires, the Incarnation of God is necessary.
When an Avatdra or Divine Incarnation de-
scends, however, the people at large do not
know it. It is known only to a few chosen dis-
ciples. Can everyone comprehend the indi-
visible Absolute Brahman, Existence-Intelli-
gence-Bliss Absolute?
When the Supreme Lord incarnated Himself
as R4ma, only twelve sages knew it. The other
saints and sages knew Him as the
prince of the R^j^ Dasaratha. But
those twelve sages prayed to Him, saying: "O
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
RSma, Thou art the indivisible Existence-In-
telligence- Bliss Absolute. Thou hast incar-
nated in this human form. By Thine own
power of Mayti Thou appearest as a human be-
ing, but in reality Thou art the Lord of the
universe."
U.g.V6c.y Google
CHAPTER XIV
COSSIPUR GARDEN-HOUSK
Bragavan R^makrishna resided for a few
months in a large and beautiful garden at Cos-
sipur, about two miles north of Calcutta. Here
He was constantly surrounded by His most be-
loved Sanny&sin disciples and by those women
disciples who were especially devoted to Him.
The Sanny4sin disciples were twelve in num-
ber.* Most of them were young men of noble
families and were graduates of the University
at Calcutta. They had left their homes and
* Narendra (VivekAnanda), RiUiAl (Brahtnlknanda), Niran-
jnn (Niianjananda), Sashi (R&makrislinananda), Sarat (S&ra-
d^nanda), BaburSm (Preminanda), EAIi (Abhedanonds),
Jogio (Yogftnanda), Lfttoo (Adbhutftnanda), GopSI (Advai-
l&nbnda), Tftiak (Shivftnanda), Subodh (SubodMnanda),
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
relatives for His sake. Their one aim in life
was to serve their Master, the living God on
earth and the Incarnation of Divinity in a
human form. The love of Sri RSmakrishna
captivated their hearts and souls. Indeed
these earnest and sincere disciples were the
pillars upon which the Divine Manifestation
was about to build the structure of His univer-
sal mission. The illness which the Bhagavin
had assumed upon His physical form was the
means by which He gathered His beloved ones
around Him and gave them the opportunity to
nurse and wait upon their Divine Master. They
sacriiSced their personal comfort upon the altar
of true devotion and served their Lord with
whole heart and soul day after day and night
after night. Their devotion was unique and
unparalleled in the religious history of modem
India. It was these young disciples who after-
wards became the world-renowned Sw^mis of
the Order of Srt RAmakrishna. There were also
householder disciples, like Suresh, Balarim,
Girish, Ram. Mahendra and others, who used
to come frequently to see Rikmakrishna and to
serve Him by suppling the household with all
necessary things.
419
U.g.V6c.y Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
R4makrishiia occupied the large room on the
second floor of the beautiful house situated in
the centre of the spacious garden. He was
seated on His bed, which was spread on the
floor, and was surrounded by His Sannyflsin
and householder disciples. Conversation arose
concerning Sanny&s (Renunciation) and a
householder's life, and Girish asked: Bhagavan,
which is right — to renounce the world with a
view to avoid worldly cares and suffering or to
worship God living with one's family?
Bhagavflji referred to the teaching of the
Bhagavad Git&. and said: He who lives with his
To Uvs in tiu ^^^^'y hut is Unattached to the re-
woridotia lations and things of the world, who
naauBuit. p^j^f^j^^g jjjg d^itigg without Seeking
the results of his works, attains to God in the
same manner as one who has renounced the
world after realizing that earthly relations and
objects are transitory and unreal. Those who
renounce the world merely to avoid worldly
cares and suffering belong to the lowest class o£
Sannyflsins. He who has attained to God living
in the world is Uke the man who resides in a
...Google
GOSPEL OP RAMAKRISHNA
crystal palace and sees everything of the outside
as well as of the inside of the palace.
Girish : Bhagavan, why is it that mind after
reaching a very high plane comes down to the
world?
Bhagavan; It is natural with the mind of one
who lives in the world. Sometimes it is on a
FickiBHB high plane and sometimes on a low.
ottiwiniBd. Sometimes there is a great upheaval
of devotional feeling, then again it subsides,
because the attraction of lust and wealth is
very strong. A devotee who lives in the world
may meditate on God and repeat His holy
Name, but again his mind is attracted by the
power of lust and wealth, just as a fly some-
times lights on the most delicious sweetmeat
and sometimes rehshes the taste of filth or of a
rotten carcass.
It is different, however, with those who have
renounced the world. They have detached
A tne their mind entirely from lust and
saaoyirin. wealth and have fixed it upon the
Supreme. They constantly drink the nectar
of Divine Love. The mind of a true Sanny^n
does not care for anything other than the
Supreme. He leaves the place where worldly
talk prevails. He listens to discourses about
,„,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
the highest Spiritual Truth alone. A true San-
ny^n does not speak of worldly matters, he
utters no word which has not bearing upon the
Spiritual Ideal. A bee sits on flowers only to
drink honey. He does not care for any other
object. Then, referring to Rikhai (Swami
Brahm&nanda), who had a wife and a child be-
fore he renounced the wdfld, R4makrishna
said: R4kh&l and others tike him have now
understood which is good and which is' evil,
which is real and which is unreal. They have
realized that earthly relations are transitory
and ephemeral. They will never again be at-
tached to the world. They are like eels which
live in the mud but remain untouched by it.
Girish: I do not understand all that. Thou
hast the power to make everyone unattached
to the world and free from bondage. Thou
hast the power to make everyone perfect whether
a SannySsin or a householder. When the Ma-
laya breeze blows it can transform all trees into
sandalwood trees.
Bhagav^n : But pithless trees like the banana-
Thcwortby ^"'^ *^^ cotton-trec are not trans-
wnibecodw formed into sandalwood. Similarly
** those who are worthy will become
perfect. Worldliness means attachment to
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
lust and wealth. Many worldly people con-
sider wealth as their heart's blood. But if you
take too much care of wealth, perhaps one day
it will go entirely out of your possession. In
our country farmers build earthen embank-
ments round their fields. Those who do not
leave open any passage for water and take too
much care of thdr embankments, invariably
have theirs washed off first by the tremendoua
current of the water; but those who keep one
side open, find that their fields become enriched
with alluvial deposits and more fertile in the
end. They make the best use of their riches
who spend them in the service of the Lord and
of holy sages. They reap good fruits of their
wealth who give freely to the poor and needy
and for the good of humanity.
The Bhagavan continued : I cannot use any
object that is given to me by physicians and
medical practitioners who live upon the painful
diseases of other people. However, it is dif-
ferent with those physicians who are kind-
hearted, charitable and unselfish.
To destroy the pride and egotism of His dis-
•iples, Sri RAmakrishna told them to wear the
,„,,.»-. ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
seamless ochre robe of the Sanny^in and to tal»
TaxcMHi. "P tl^e begging-bowl. Being Him-
dudpieire- self a perfect SannySsin, He loved to
see His disciples following Him in
the path of renunciation. On different occa-
sions He sent them out, as Buddha and San-
kara had done with their disciples, to beg food
from door to door. One morning He called
certain among . His beloved ones, — Narendra,
Sarat, Jogen, Niranjan, KMi, — and asked them
whether they could go forth with the SannySsin's
begging-bowl and beg uncooked food for Him.
It was indeed a great blow to the caste pride
as well as to the sense of self-respect of these
young disciples. Obeying the Master's wish,
however, they took the begging-bowl in their
hands, walked from door to door in the neigh-
borhood, collected various articles of food,
brought them before their Master and offered
them at His holy feet. Bhagavan Rimakrishria
blessed them and rejoiced at their sincere and
earnest devotion. This was the manner in
which the Bhagav4n initiated His disciples in
the hfe of absolute renimciation.
U.g.V6c.y Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
Oae evening Sr! R&makrisfana was attended
by His faithful servants Sashi (RiUnakrishnil-
MaaMdcot nanda) and KAIi (Abhed^anda), who
HiiiiiMM. Tirere waiting upon Him. The Bha-
gav&n opened His mouth and inspired them by
saying: The illness of my body is caused by the
sins of those who come and touch my feet. I
purify the sinners by taking their sins upon
myself and suffering for them. He who was
RSma, who was Krishna, Buddha, Christ and
Chaitanya has now become RlUnakrishna.
Blessed are those who know this truth. My
Divine Mother has shown me that the photo-
graph of this body will be kept upon altars and
be worshipped in different houses as the pic-
tures of other Avat^ras are worshipped. My
Divine Mother has also shown me that I shall
have to come back again and that my next
incarnation will be in the West.
Narendra (VivekAnanda) had extreme long-
ing for the realization of Brahman the Abso-
lute. One day BhagavSn RSmakrishna, ad-
dressing Narendra in the presence of other
418
...Google
gospeij of ramakrishna
disciples, said; I hold the key of the chest
which contains the treasure of the highest
realization. I shall not unlock that chest until
you have finished my work which I wish you
■ to do.
vi
Pandit Sashadhar came one day to pay his
respects to Bhagav&n Rimakrishna. Seeing
Con of His illness, he asked Him: Bhaga-
at matm. van, why dost Thou not concentrate
Thy mind upon the diseased part and thus cure
Thyself?
The Bhagavfm replied: How can I fix my
mind, which I have given to God, upon this
cage of flesh and blood?
Sashadhar said: Why dost Thou not pray
to Thy Divine Mother for cure of Thy illness?
The Bhagav4n answered : When I think of My
Mother the physical body vanishes and I am
entirely out of it, so it is impossible for Me to
pray for anything concerning the body.
Hearing this, Sashadhar bowed at His holy
feet and asked His blessing.
' The news of Srt Ramakrishna's illness spread
like wild-fire among all those who had known
...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMASBISHNA
Him or heard of His Divine personality. Hun-
dreds of people came every day to see Him and
to pay reverent homage to Him. Some came
to receive His blessing, some to kiss the dust of
His Holy Feet, some to hear a few words
uttered by Him, and others to clear the doubts
of their minds. Among these were a few more
devoted ones, like Hari, Gangidhar, S^radft,
Tulsi, who afterwards joined the Order and
were known as Turiyltnanda, Akhan<iS,nanda,
Trigunatita, and Nirmalananda. Bhagavin
Rilmakrishna received them all with equal kind-
ness and was ever ready to help them. Although
Hisiovaior His physical body was weakened and
humuiity. exhausted, still His desire to help
mankind was so great that He often exclaimed:
"I would give twenty thousand bodies like this
if by that I could help one single soul in the
path of righteousness and God-consciousnessl"
Dr. Sircar and other physicians gave strict
orders to the Sanny^sin disciples to allow no
one to come near the Bhagav^n, as He needed
absolute rest and must have no excitement of
any kind. The SannyAsin disciples followed
this advice to the letter and would not allow
even the householder disciples to come near
Him or touch His holy body. But Sri Rftma-
u.„......,Cooglc
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
krishna could not bear this bondage^ H^
burst into tears when He heard of this restric-
tion. His heart melted with Divine Love and
He declared that His suffering was infinitely
less than that of the worldly people who were
groaning under the burden of their worldly .
cares and anxieties and who had no one to lift
them above this mundane existence. His love
for humanity was so great that, disregarding
His bodily welfare, He called everyone near
unto Him in the same manner as Jesus the
Christ called all those who were heavily laden
and who sought for peace and rest.
Many a time the Bhagav^n declared before
His beloved Sannyisiri children : Divine Mother
is working through this form. She has kept it
so long because Her work is not yet finished.
When He could scarcely speak or swallow
any food, the Bhagavan said: I am now speak-
Hii oncneu ipg and eating through so many
wiUKdi. mouths. I am the Soul of all indi-
vidual souls. I have infinite mouths, infinite
heads, infinite hands and feet. My pure form
is spiritual.- It is absolute Existence, IntelH-
gence and Bliss condensed, as it were. It Has
neither birth nor death, neither soitow, disease
nor sufiering. It is immortal and perfect. I
431
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF BAMAKKISHNA
see the indivisible Absolute Brahman ^Sat-
chit-flnanda) within me as well as all around
me. You are all like my own parts. The In-
finite Brahman is manifesting Itself through so
many human forms. Human bodies are like
pillow-cases of different shapes and various
colors, but the cotton wool o£ the internal Spirit
is one. When Jiva (ego) enters into that Spirit
and becomes one with it. there is neither pain
nor suffering. I am the Infinite Spirit covered
by a human skin which has a woimd somewhere
near the throat. Mind affects the body and is
in turn affected by the body. When the body
is ill, that illness reacts upon the mind. When
one is burned by hot water one says: "This
water has burned me," but the truth is that
heat bums and not the water. All pain is in
the body, all disease is in the body, but the
Spirit is above pain and beyond the reach of
disease.
My illness is to teach mankind how to think
of the Spirit and how to live in God-conscious-
OH of ness even when there is extreme pain
Ubch. i,^ tijg body; when the body is suffer-
from the agony of pain and starvation,
en there is no remedy within human power,
m then the Mother shows that Spirit is the
42a
u.„..... ...Google
GOSPEL OF RAMAKRISHNA
master of the body. My illness is to set an ex-
ample of absolute mastery of the Spirit over
matter in this age of materialism and scepti-
cism. My Divine Mother has brought this ill-
ness upon this body to convince the sceptics of
the present age that Atman is Divine, that
God -consciousness is as true and practical to-
day as it was in the Vedic period, that when one
reaches perfection, freedom from all bondage
is attained. My Divine Mother has- shown
through Her child what is meant by the various
kinds of Yoga and how people of this age can
attain to it. She has also shown that all
Scriptures are true, that all religions are like
paths which lead to the same common goal of
the one Infinite Divinity. All of my religious
practices, Yoga practices, ' devotional exercises
have been for the good of others and not for my
own good. My Mother has set through this
form a living example in this age.
"Whosoever will practise one-sixteenth part
of what I have said and done will surely attain
to God-consciousness in this life."
.y Google
.y Google
INDEX
MARGINAL HEADINGS
About the Absolute nothing can be told 254
Absolute Brahman and Dfvine Mother 341
Absolute frankness 117
A child's "I" 57
A dewjtee is rich in spirit 183
.gnosticism in Europe and America Z50
Ajn&nam and Jninam 119
All desires fuialed *o8
All phenomena uni«al 113
All religions lead to God 35
All rituals end in Samftdhi 365
All sects of one family 345
Animal food ami Vegetarianism 398
A spiritual leader must renounce the world 258
A true devotee always calm 42
A true Sannyftsin 414
Attachment to the body 336
Attachment to work 238
Attainment of God-vision 34a
Attainment of knowledge gifidual 30S
Avadhuta and a bee 67
Avadhuta and a kite 66
Avatftm 393, 409
Avatftros and ordinary Jivss 191
Abesha of Rimakrishna 361
425
...Google
INDEX
Bodge of authority 369
Become one with all 1 345
Bhakta's attitude 147
Bhakti and Jn&na aoi
Bhakti Yoga 371
Bigotiy is not right 37
Bliss comes in medilatbn. '. 190
Body and Atman. axg
Body result of past actbns. ., 1S6
Book knowledge and realization Ss
Book learning 116
Book-learned Pandits like vultures J , . 104
Bound souls 45
Brahman and Sakti are one. ....'. 133
Brahman impersonal and pctsonal 132
Brahman [ndesciibable. ; 106
Bi»bn\an is Silence 109
Brahman untouched by good and evil 105
Calculating intellect. 394
Cast all care on God 314
Character and associations 198
Company of the wicked 42
Compassion and attachment 353
Concentration 375
Concentration and meditation 48
Creation of the world 153
Cure of His illness. 419
Danger of psychic powers 330
Days of struggle 307
Degrees of knowledge 303
Delusive power of Mftyl I57>359
u.„..... ...Google
INDEX
PAOX
Desire for powers prevents realiaatlon 323
Devotee's heart the temple of the Lord "45
DevotioD to the Supreme zoo
Difference betweea Soul and God- 55
Difference in powers 317
Different aspects of Divinity '. . 30
Different aspects of God. 148
Different paths to God ^70
Difficult to Ije rid of "I" 56
Diacriminatioii and renunciation 199
Discrimination of an Advaitin 146
Dispassion 49
Disputations prevent realization of God 375
Distaste tor worldly conversation ., ais
Divine commisaion 169
Divine communion 396
Divine Incarnation 351
Divine intoxication 33d
Divine tove and ecstasy 74
Divine love and its various aspects. 302
Divine Mother in all women 335
Divine Mother omnipresent 154
Divine Mother the material and the lostTumental cause . . 154
Divine Mother's will - 156
Divinity everywhere zio
Doing good to the world 137
Dual eiistence 398
Dualiatic and monistic Vedlnta 378
Ecstasy 80
Ecstatic love. 301
Ego of knowledge 394
Egoism of a saint no
42;
u.,M,»..., Google
mcEX
PAOE
Egotism. 3g]
Egotism and IcDowledge 340, 392
Egotism rises from ignorance. 335
Effect of lectures on worldly men 264
Evening at the Temple 31, IQ5
Everything depends on God's will gi
Everything the will of God »ij
Example of Janaka 161
Faith and realization 323
Fetters of the soul 73
Fickleness of the mind 414
Fire of Bhakti destroys sins 296
Firmness of faith neceasaiy for realization 31J
First cleanse the heart 1 75
First see God, then help the world 170
Fit vessels 286
Food for a Bhakia 231
Four classes of individual souls. 44
Four stages of realization 333
God and the Scriptures. 326
God dwelb in all 37
God, His devotee and His word one 259
God in everything 39
God is formless and with form 62
God is In&nite 313
God is like a magnet 59
God manifest 367
God Personal and Impersonal 38
God provides for those who have realized Him 334
God realized by purified soul. 368
God the Absolute and God the Creator one 191
418
u.„..... ...Google
INDEX
PAOK
God the one Master 167
God, the sea of Iimnortaiity 349
God, the Sun of wisdom 60
God-vision and philanthropic works. 171
God-Tision the end of all performance of duty. 17a
Good works and compassion for all 103
Grace of God 286, 313, 337
Hatha Yoga ". 274
He uplifted womanhood. 17
Helping others 39S
His Divine powers. 90
His love for humanity. 430
His mission 10, 18
His oneness with all 431
His Renunciation 16
His Samldhi 15
His spiritual insight 13
Householder's dulies 333
flow a householder should live in the world. 77
How to fix one's mind on God 6;
Ifow to love God 72
How to pray. • 303
How to recognize a saint 78
Human soul the child of God ■. .. 104
Humility o£ Rtaiakrishna 139
Ideal of a welnurse 350
Illustralioii of a bull's-eye lantern 61
Image worship 63
Intellectual apprehension and realization 373
Intense devotion necessary 164
Is work the aim of life ? 340
439
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INDEX
PAOK
Jnftna and Vijnftna aSi
Jnftna Yoga 170
Jn&na Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. T13
Karma (past actions) 309
Kanna Yoga 271
Kftii, why black ? 154
Keshab and his disciples 157
Knowledge is relative 389
Kumbhaka 375
Law of Karma. 183
Lay cares on God 395
Lectures and sermons of preachers 145
Life of Srt Rlmakrishna by European Scholars. a
Longing to hear about the Supreme 3l6
Love for all 41
Love of God, the one thing needful 313
Lover of God igi
Lust and gold unreal 70
Madness of Divine love 74
Mahendra's visit to the Temple 3*
Many names of one God 36
Mftya 114
UftyS and Day! i8a
Meaning of His illness 418
Meaning of Keshab's illness aai
Meaning of Om 96
Means ot God-vision 71
Meditation 976
Money is power 53
43°
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INDEX
PAOX
Need of aolkude 69
Non-attachment. 113
Non'attachment necessar)' 85
NoD-dualistic Ved&ntins. 180
One God has many names ., 151
Ordinary spiritual teachers are blind 169
Parable of a BrAhmin Priest and his boy 12S
" " man seeking a light , 1S3
" " salt doll top
" " woodcutter 343
" " woodcutter and his dream. aSo
" the ant and the mount of sugar 107
" " bird on the mast 38a
" " chameleon 39
" " deserted temple 174
" " disciple and the mad elephant 38
" " elephant and the blind men 38
" " false SSdhu 205
" " fanner and his only child 93
" " fanner and the canal 49
" " father and his dying son. S4
" " four travelers 355
" " monk and the Zemindar 88
" " pious weaver 90
" " rich man and his Sircar I3d
" " sn^Le and the holy man 40
" " three robbers 353
" " tiger 303
" " Vedic father and his two sons '. 106
Path of Bhakti Yoga best for this age 173
Path of devoiion ^40
...Google
mDEX
Perfect knowledge brings realization of oneness lao
Pilgrimages 384
Pilgrimage useless 407
Power of desire 314
Power of repentance 59
Power of the Lord's Ifoly Name 23
Power of the mind 158
Power of true faith and true longing 7a
PowhSri B&ba of Gazipur 145
Practice of non-attachment 68
Fray that worldly work may giow less 170
Prayer for Bhakti 397
Prayer of a true Bhakta 39a
-Prayer to the Divine Mother l6i, 360
Pride and egotism 338
Psychic poweis. 3*0
Pure Bhakti and pure Jn&na one . 194
Pure heart 59
Purpose of His illness 439
Qualified non-dualism. 370
Rdja Yoga 371
Rftja Yogi 148
RAma 409
Rftmakrishna a Real Mahttman 4
Rjtniakriahna as the Divine Ideal of all sects g
Rflmakrishna goes on board the steamer. 143
Rimakrishna leaves Vidyftsagara , , . 141
Rimakrishna's childlike nature 100
Rftmakrishna's ecstasy 143, aafi, jfi.
RJUnakrishQEt's influence upon the mind of Scbolais. .... 7
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INDEX
Rflmakmhna's love ot humor lOl
R&maknshiia's SomfLdbi 131
Realization 389 .
Realizatton of God 14
Relation between Brahman and Sakti .. .', 150
Relation between God Peisonal and Impersonal 31
Relation between Guru and disciples. iii
Renunciation 316
Renunciatk>n and worldl}' men 33T
Renunciation not necessary for all 158
Re^gn all to God 331
' Resignation 89
Resistaiu;e of evil 40
Right discrimination 79
Sages teach foe tlie good of others iii
Sages who have reached the seventh plane 391
Sam&dhi of RfLmakrishna 189
Sankara and the pariah 305
Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas. 353.
Saving power of God's name. 160
Saviours I
Scriptures and realization 355
Sectarianism and Biahma-JnlUta 256
Seek God in man. 353
Selfless works purify the heail. 136
Self -surrender and prayer. 133
Sense of "I" 51.. 118
Sense of sin 159
Servant " 1 " of a Bhakta 56
Seven mental planes 390
Seven stages of spiritual evolution 53
Signs of one who has realized God ... 1 337
433
...Google
INDEX
PACK
Signs o{ true wisdom. ■. 335
Solitude a remedy for norldlincM. 163
Solitude necessary 6;
Soula eternally free 393
Spiritual awakening necessar; to lee the Reality 373
Spiritual knowledge and the worldly 304
Spiritual practices 306
Stages of spirituality 300
Stages of spiritual ptactice 307
Stale of God-vision 317
Story ot a boy and the cow-house. 345
Story of a man and his cotti^e 146
Subtle body 395
Sudden ci
Tau^l His disciples n
The Absolute and the Divine Mother 359
The Absolute and the phenomenal 95
The Absolute Brahman 390
The Divinely-commissioned teacher. a66
The Divine Mother will cure worldly attachment 337
The Divine presence in images 183'
The ego of a calf 336
The importance of practice 396
The innermost feelings of a true Bhakta. 147
The kingdom of God is everywhere 87
The Lord alone is thine own 111
llie Lord smiles on two occasions I30
The Lord, the Ocean of Immortality 135
The Lord untouched by good and evil 393
The madness of love for the Lord 937
The mercy of the Lord. 60
The Mother of the universe and Her sports. 152
4M
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INDEX
PAGE
The nature of disciples must be examined 167
The necessity of practke 366
The omnipotence of faith 135
Theosofdiy 399
The power of the Divine Mother 133, 155
The realm of the Divine Energy 150
The Siddha and the eleph&tit 311
The signs of a true Jnftni 380
The unripe and ripe "I" 156
The world as a dream 149
The world like a dream 93
The worldly "I" 55
The world unreal 76
The worthy will become perfect 415
Thought of freedom brings freedom. 181
Three classes of characters. 339
"Diree classes of religious teachers 385
TTiree Gunas of nature 354
Three obstacles in the way of perfection . ^ 388
Three states of consciousness in ecstasy. 303
Time necessary for religious awakening 999
To live in the world or to renounce it 413
Trials of a devotee 184
True devotion and love 58
True knowledge and ignorance. 389
True meaning of Gitft. 116
Tiuthfulness 33'9
Two classes of Paramahamsas 994
Unity and variety. aai
Unity in diversity. 115
Value of lectures without Divine commission. 368
...Google
INDEX
Value of solilude 163
Vanily 393
Various aspects of the Brahman 146
VidyA and Avidyft 104
Vijnaniand Bhakta. 114
Vishnu 03 a boar - . aSo
Vision of the Divine Mother and the Absolute 343
Visit to a poor BrAhmin lil
Visit to Devendra Nftth Tfigore an
Visit to Keshab Sen aip
Visit to Padmalochana 314
Vy&sa and the Gopis 3c6
What happens after death 27S
What iaBhakti? 132
What thou thinbest, thou sbalt become 47
When God is attained worldly attachment vanishes 97
Where RAmakrishna lived 11
Who is a true spiritual teacher? 16S
Why God cannot be seen. 258
Work atid grace 83
Work necessary for God-vision 80
Work without devotion. 249
Work with the mind fixed on God 399
Worldly attachment and realization 300
Worship God in solitude 328
Worship of the spiritual preceptor 40a
Zoological Garden, Visit to 309
436
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